


Storms and Shadows

by SpookyMoth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, ChoujiKarui-Sideship, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, InoSai-Sideship, Lack of Communication, NarutoHinata-Sideship, Relationship Problems, Romance, SasukeSakura-Sideship, Sexual Tension, Shikamaru & Temari try to figure out their relationship, The Council in Suna interferes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:34:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 34
Words: 141,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25382419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyMoth/pseuds/SpookyMoth
Summary: She is gusty and wild, like a sandstorm in Suna. He loves clouds and drifts like the leaves of the trees in Konoha.After they realized they are more than friends, is it possible for two shinobi from different villages to have a happy end? How does Shikamaru get along with her brothers? Is Temari accepted by Ino and Chouji? And what happens if something doesn't work as planned?
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Comments: 178
Kudos: 199





	1. Sun and Clouds

The heat in Sunagakure had reached its peak. Around midday no one was outside of their homes. Life stood still until the sun set and the cool breeze of the night settled in. Only then, the village came back to life. One would visit their family and friends, ran errands or went stargazing with their loved ones.

Temari stood at her window and sighed. She sneaked out during a short break in the contract negotiations between Suna and Ame. At home, immediately she got ride of her clothes and went for a shower. Only dressed with a towel, she let the warm desert winds, which came through the window, dry her skin.

She was in a melancholic mood today. For at least two weeks she tried to tell herself that she wouldn’t die.That this longing couldn’t kill anyone. She’d get over it. But whenever she thought of his brown, almond-shaped eyes, she had to admit to herself, longing might not kill her, but it wouldn’t help her concentration either.

During the day she tried to pull herself together. Not thinking of how his silky brown hair felt when she buried her hands in it while they kissed each other. While brooding over boring contract papers, she didn’t want to think about the tingling sensation his very touch send through her body.

Every cloud drifting over Suna remembered her of him, thinking whether he also was looking to the sky in this very moment. After all, cloud gazing was his favourite pastime. 

Temari tried everything in her might to get herself distracted. She suppressed her feelings until late night when she was alone. The time she didn’t need to fulfil her duties and only be Temari. Only today it didn't work.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She held her towel tightly against her but didn't turn around. She wasn't ready yet. Not today.

“Come in!”

She heard Kankurou's heavy foot steps. One of his puppets rattled imperceptible. Most of the time she recognized her brother by that alone.

“We need to go back”, he grumbled.

“I’ll be right there”, she said softly, her eyes still looking outside at the deserted streets. Instead of going out of the room, he came to her at the window

"What's wrong with you today, Temari?"

She turned her head to him.

"Isn't it strange that I love Suna and still prefer to be somewhere else?"

His mouth twisted briefly as if to smile.

"Well Konoha is not that far away."

Her eyes pierced him. Now he grinned.

“You know I can’t go away from here. I’m Gaara’s advisor and altogether his sister. Hell would break loose the moment I moved away.”

“You only had one date and you want to move away? Can he kiss that good?”

She clenched her fist and punched his arm. That made Kankuro grin even more.

“You idiot!” she barked at him. “If it gets serious between Shikamaru and me, either Konoha or Suna will be at the receiving end. We both hold important positions.”

Kankuro raised his hands soothingly.

“There’s a solution for everything, Temari. And if Shikamaru is really such a genius, he will find a way to do it.”

With that he left her room. She looked outside again before going back to the bathroom.

* * *

Clouds.

Clouds were the only joy granted to him nowadays. The rare moments that he was able to steal out of all his commitments have been used lately only to stare at the clouds. Otherwise, he was available from morning to late evening to support the Hokage. Be it to plan visits, to receive delegations from distant countries, to view and distribute missions, to negotiate contracts, to conduct Chunin exams...

At least he would see Temari again. Already three months had passed since their first date. In between they somehow managed to see each other for a few hours and yet it was never enough. Whenever he thought of her, his thoughts wandered and it became difficult for him to devote himself to other, more important things. Even now that he just wanted to stare at the sky to NOT think, he thought of her.

He turned on his stomach and stared at the grass. He let out a breath of frustration and blew the blades of grass in front of him.

“That’s a bad position to watch clouds”, noted a mocking voice. Shikamaru looked up to see Ino smiling at him.

“I thought about trying something new”, he countered and sat up cross-legged.

Ino settled in front of him, her legs crossed sideways.

"Have you nothing to do?"

“I needed a break.”

“And then you thought that clouds are too boring?"

Shikamaru knew exactly that Ino hadn't come by accident. She had been looking for him. Which either meant one of the villagers wanted something from him or she. 

"What brings you here, Ino?"

"I wanted to ask if we can skip training today."

So that was the big deal. Even if they were no longer dependent on it, they tried to find an appointment once a week to improve the Ino-Shika-Cho formation. Often they only managed to find each other once a month, but it was one of the few traditions that they still kept. Like sharing a meal at the end of each mission.

“Is there an important reason?”

The way Ino fiddled with her hands and lowered her head to avoid looking at him, Shikamaru didn't need an answer. She had plans with Sai.

Ino and he had their first dates almost at the same time. However, the difference was that Ino and Sai could do something with each other on a regular basis. While he had to hope to find a gap in his and Temari's schedule that they could only see for a short time. Often only passing by if they both happened to have missions that could cross their way.

Otherwise Shikamaru and she had only written letters. Long letters that could not replace a real conversation. Words that could not trace the closeness of the other.

Nevertheless, he soaked up every sentence of her and imagined her sitting and writing at her desk.

“Shikamaru? Hello?” Ino shook his shoulder.

"Oh, sorry," he murmured. "Of course we can train another time."

“You are totally lovestruck, aren’t you?”

“What?”

"You should have seen your face," she moved closer to him. "Do you miss Temari so much?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and was about to turn away, noticing how much the blush rose in his head. She stopped him.

"I know how you feel, Shikamaru. Take a few days off and go visit her."

"It's no use, Ino. The tasks here cannot be left behind."

Ino looked at him sternly. "We have enough capable people to do your work. The chunin exams are a long way down the road. Isn't Temari more important to you than work?"

“Sure. Just I don't want to trouble her by just showing up at her door.”

Ino was at the end of her tether. She grabbed his collar.

"You immediately make sure that you get a few days off and move your lazy ass to Suna, otherwise I will take care of it."

* * *

"Ha, defeated!"

Temari had her arm onto Kankuro's throat and used it to push him to the ground. They had fought bitterly for almost two hours. First with their favorite weapons, then with Kunai and ultimately, they simply delivered a fight with pure physical strength.

"Yes", he pressed out. 

She got up and held out her hand so that he could get up. With her help, he pulled himself up and wiped the sand off his clothes.

"That was close, sis."

She knew that Kankurou only wanted to nag her and ignored his words. She was in her best form, because she almost trained daily. Kankuro was usually too lazy to improve his taijutsu.

"Shall we have dinner, little brother?"

"Tss", he answered. "You just want me to invite you again."

"That's the price for my sweet victory."

She walked ahead and took hold of her tessen, which was leaning against a wall.

"Are you coming as well?" 

She turned around. 

"May I at least take a shower first?"

"Well, well. But then we'll go eat."

"At your command, Your Highness."

He curtseyed so Temari couldn't help but roll her eyes.

It always took Kankuro much longer in the bathroom than she did. When they were traveling privately, he always removed his elaborate face paint. He didn't want to be disturbed when he was out of Kage's role as a consultant and bodyguard.

For this reason, Temari always wore her hair open and let it fall loose to the sides. Fortunately, almost everyone respects their privacy.

  
She combed her hair again when she noticed the hawk waiting at her window. Realizing that the hawk came from Konoha, she dropped her comb and hurried to the window. The bird willingly held out his leg. She immediately tore open the scroll.

_Hey Temari,_

_I hope you are well and work doesn’t engage you too much. I don’t want to write you how troublesome everything is on my end. You know it yourself._

Temari had to smile.

_Since the chunin exams are still some time in the future and we probably cannot see each other beforehand: Do you mind if I come over for a few days? I'm sure I will be overwhelmed with tasks from the Hokage, but I would like to see Suna._

_Hope to see you soon._

_-Shikamaru_

She read through his letter three more times and hugged him briefly to her heart. Then she grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled her answer to it. She was still watching after the hawk as Kankuro screamed from the front door: “Temari, are you hungry, or not?”

She almost jumped out of her room.


	2. Troublesome

Shikamaru got an easy opportunity to travel to Suna.

Sakura urgently needed medical information and couldn't leave the village. Since she trusted only a few shinobi to get these important documents and bring them back to Konoha, Shikamaru had offered to do so. Kakashi had only given him a brief grin, but otherwise left the mission to him.

The trip to Suna had been uneventful, so he was standing at the entrance to Sunagakure just six days after Ino urged him to and did not come in because an endless line of people wanted to enter.

"Name and state your business," the guard shinobi repeated to him.

"Nara Shikamaru. I'm here on behalf of the Hokage."

He handed over Kakashi's letter, but the shinobi took it very seriously today and wanted more information.

"What kind of mission is it?"

"It is confidential."

"So, confidentially. You can't go any further."

Shikamaru tried not to sigh.

He knew that security measures in Suna had been stricter since an assassination attempt on the Kazekage was prevented a few months ago. But he thought that his name should be known because it was not the first time in Suna, only the first time without the Hokage.

"I am the official advisor of the Hokage. In addition, I took over tactical leadership in the Fourth Shinobi War. I am the ambassador of Konoha within the Shinobi Union. Furthermore, I am responsible for the organization and execution of the chunin exams, so can I now please enter?"

Shikamaru hoped that these words would work. The people behind him were getting impatient.

"I also can talk big without proof," said the man, turning back. "GO TO KANKURO-SAMA, IMMEDIATELY!"

A younger Shinobi immediately ran into the insides of Suna.

Shikamaru, who didn't know how long it took, sat on the floor.

"What are you up to, punk?" 

"I need to rest."

"Kankuro-sama!"

Temari looked up from the papers that Kankuro and she were working through.

She tried not to show how close she had been to falling asleep, when the excited Chunin burst into her office.

"What is it, Nibori?"

Kankuro, on the other hand, did not seem pleased with the interruption.

"There is a problem at the north entrance."

Then the boy named Nibori was silent again.

"And what problem?" Kankuro asked a bit stricter now.

"There is a Shinobi who claims to be the Hokage's advisor."

Now Temari was interested. Could it be?

"What is the name of the Shinobi?" she asked.

"Nara Shikamaru."

It only took three seconds and Temari was out the door. Kankuro had to hurry to follow her.

Shikamaru had at least got water and was allowed to stand in the shade.  
By now, almost all of them had either been turned away or let through to Suna.

He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and didn't show how much the whole situation annoyed him.  
Finally he caught sight of Temari's blond hair and a grim-looking Kankuro. Since he expected this farce to end soon, he stood up straight.

"What's going on here?" Kankuro demanded to know.

"This villain claims to be Hokage's advisor."

"He is the Hokage's advisor," said Temari.

The guard shinobi looked from Shikamaru, then to Temari and finally back to his captain. He threw himself on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Kankuro-sama."

"Get up, Isamu," Kankuro ordered. "I will take our guest inside myself."

Isamu got up and looked at Shikamaru again. He nodded to him and followed Temari and Kankuro is the heart of Sunagakure.

Having him in front of him let Temari shortly loose her composure.

She wanted to throw herself in his arms immediately. But on the one hand there would have been gossip, on the other hand she didn't know whether Shikamaru's agreed with showing affections in the public. So she listened to his footsteps and hoped he couldn't hear her heart pounding loudly.

"These are the quarters for the visitors," Kankuro announced and stopped. "I'm going back to work."

"Thank you, Kankuro." He nodded and gave Shikamaru a sullen look.

"In an hour I need your help again, Temari."

"I can come with you now if you wait five minutes. I know how much work you have on the table." Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"In an hour," he repeated, turning to go back. "Oh, Shikamaru, of course you're invited to dinner tonight."

"Then let's find a room for you."

Temari turned to Shikamaru, who held his arm over his head in embarrassment.

Shikamaru was glad that he easily got a room. Temari distracted him with trivial chatter as they followed the innkeeper.

Since he saw her, he had only wanted to be alone with her for a moment. Without their watchful brothers, Anbu or curious villagers.  
Just hearing her voice and not just imagining it. Perceiving her scent - a mixture of sand, salt and rose - made him want to kiss her. After all, they were alone in his room.

But instead of stopping so that he could finally greet her properly, she moved restlessly through his room.

"You also have a bathtub. Then you can take a bath right away. The trip was definitely exhausting. Besides ..."

The next part of her sentence he did not catch because she had disappeared into said bathroom. He shrugged and began to spread his belongings on the bed.

Temari came back from the bathroom and was still talking in on go.

"The view is also very nice from here. I have to show you my favourite restaurant ..." Shikamaru smiled. She was nervous. So nervous that she couldn't stop talking. He would have liked to tell her how cute she was, but decided not to do it for the sake of his own health. A fan like that on the head sure hurt.

"Temari," he said now. She stopped talking.

Shikamaru took advantage of her amazement and walked towards her with two steps. With one hand he grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him. With the other, he pulled her chin up and lowered his lips to hers.

The sensation when his lips touched was like an electric shock through her body.

All of her nerve endings were tense and sensitive. When his tongue invaded her mouth, she was only guided by this cozy feeling.

She closed her eyes. At first she returned his kiss timidly, but when his hand stroked her arm, which made her shiver all over, she pulled him closer and put as much emotion in as she could.  
When they released the kiss, her head rested against his chest. She could hear his heart beat faster than normal. She breathed in his smell and hugged him tightly.

"Hello," she said almost shyly.

He gave her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Hi," he replied. "Was this okay?" She heard the smile in his voice.  
"Yes, it was more than okay. However .."

She stopped.

"Yes?"

"I wouldn't mind a repetition."

With he last word she grabbed his shirt and pulled him down a little.

More than an hour later, she returned to work with a grin from ear to ear.

Gaara was sitting in his office, as expected, when Shikamaru entered.

"Hello Shikamaru," he greeted him. "I hope the little incident at the entrance doesn't let you doubt our hospitality."

"Don't worry, Gaara. So far I've always been welcomed in a friendly and courteous manner." The Kazekage gestured to a chair that Shikamaru immediately seized. He gave him Kakashi’s sealed scroll, which Gaara opened and started reading straightaway.

"So you have to go to the medical archives and you need access to the greenhouses?"

"Yes, Sakura also gave me various instructions."

"How's Sakura? And Naruto?"

They chatted a whole while before Shikamaru said goodbye to work at least a little.

He knew he could take a few days, but Kakashi hadn't given him more than two weeks. Shikamaru wanted to spend as much time with Temari as possible.

Temari tossed the pen aside in the early afternoon and leaned back in her chair. She stretched her arms over her head. Kankuro ogled her with an eyebrow raised.

"What is it, Kankuro? Do I have a grain of rice stuck somewhere from lunch?"

"No. That would be normal for you, at least." He ducked laughing as she threw a pen in his direction.

"Then what's your problem?"

"You're damn happy, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," she admitted. "As much as it _mostly_ makes me happy to be your sister. And how happy Suna makes me. But that's somehow different."

"That's good. Then I don't have to tear the guy's head off later."

The next pen flew in the direction of Kankuro.

The archives in Suna were pleasantly cooled. His escort Naoko led him through the corridors and also told him that the heat was not suitable for storing old documents. Therefore, a cool temperature was always sought.

Shikamaru listened with one ear. Archives were not unknown to him. He clearly spent too much time in such. So he was surprised when he was led into a small room and Naoko didn't leave him alone.

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru-sama, but we currently have an enhanced security level, so I have to get the relevant documents out."

He nodded and gave her the list of documents. Shikamaru hoped that Sakura hadn't exaggerated again. The last mission he'd been with her, they had been in Kumogakure's archives for almost two weeks without seeing the sunlight.

When Naoko came back with three giant scrolls, he knew that his time here would be similar.

Temari had left Kankuro and Gaara in the kitchen of their house and went to pick up Shikamaru from the archives. Her head slowly realized that he was really here.

She knew from Gaara that he would be busy most of the day, but in the evening she would show him the sights.

Look at the stars with him. Maybe even hold hands?

The guards nodded to her when she heard his laugh from the depths of the building. And at once a bright female voice laughed. Unconsciously, she accelerated her steps.

She came to the office where Shikamaru was sitting. There also was a young girl, maybe two years younger than him.

She played with her hair and leaned over to him as if they were familiar with each other. Suddenly she felt a nasty feeling that she first interpreted as anger.

When Shikamaru laughed again, she knew what it was: jealousy.

He turned in her direction the moment she decided he would find the way back on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the lovely comment and the kudos.
> 
> I couldn't stop myself to write a jealous Temari. :D


	3. Family Dinner

Shikamaru's senses were rarely mistaken. That was how he noticed the steps of Temari. She walked to him with determination. He guessed because she wanted to pick him up for dinner.

He was just in a conversation with Naoko, which told him funny stories from the archive.

Temari's footsteps stopped abruptly. He expected her to give notice. Instead, he heard her turn on her heel and walk back with a loud noise. Shikamaru knew what an angry Temari sounded like. He had to catch up with her.

"I'm leaving for today, Naoko. Can I leave my things here?" He pointed to his writing tools.

"Of course, I'll lock this room. Then nobody else will come in except me."

"Thank you. Have a nice evening."

He didn't wait to hear her say goodbye, but ran as fast as his feet carried him.

Temari, barely after getting outside, punched the next wall. Thoughts raged in her head. She struck the stone three or four times with her hands, imagining the young archivist's face.

Until she couldn't move any more. Only one had the ability to do so without her realizing it.

"Let go of me," she said. She heard him get closer, but he didn't release his jutsu. When he was standing next to her and gripping her hands, she finally could move again.

"You shouldn't hit walls if you're not wearing gloves." His voice was calm and controlled. That made her angrier.

He turned her hands back and forth. Apparently he was looking for injuries.

"And who said you could set me rules?"When she glared at him with angry eyes, he didn't look away. She could see a worry line on his forehead.

"I like your hands the way they are."

"Is that supposed to be funny?"

He sighed. She could still see a hint of a smile. "Temari, just tell me why you're mad at me. Then we can talk about it."

These words brought her down again. He never let his moods distract him, but remained attentive and calm. That was exactly how he had sneaked into her heart.

Above all, she was just taking out her anger about herself on him. That was not fair.

"I'm mad at myself."

"At yourself?" She heard the astonished undertone.

"I saw you laughing with the archivist earlier, and obviously she was flirting with you. Somehow I got carried away."

He pulled her towards her by her hands. She automatically wrapped her arms around his upper body and he returned her hug.

"Don't you hear my heart go bonkers when you're so close to me, huh?"

"Yes."

"You are the only one that causes such a reaction."

She knew that Shikamaru was not known for romantic gestures. His words made her eyes water. She knew what he was going to say.

_There is only you._

"It was easier to just be friends."

He snorted. "We were never just friends, Temari.

Shikamaru had treated her hands with an ointment before returning to Suna's main street. He hoped her brothers wouldn't notice the small scratches and swollen knuckles.

Today he wanted to make the best possible impression. Even if he knew Gaara and Kankurou, he knew that they would keep a close eye on her sister after they became a couple.

Temari's hand nudged his finger carefully. He smiled and interlocked their hands. It still seemed to work inside her.

He hoped they had enough time later to talk in peace. He blamed himself for not realizing how much she missed him earlier.

Temari was strong and independent on the outside. She would never admit her weakness. Shikamaru had read between the lines, but it was still as new to him as to her.

Taking friendship to another level was not as easy as he thought. He wanted it to work.

While they were walking to their house, Temari told a little bit about Suna's story and pointed to various surrounding buildings and then expanded their history in detail. He could hear how much she loved her village, as he Konoha.

The tips of her ears turned red when she was excited. He could have looked at her forever. Lastly they stood at the front door and Shikamaru felt uncomfortable for the first time.

"I hope Kankurou is done cooking. I'm really hungry."

"Kankurou cooked?"

He couldn't quite hide his surprise. Of course, Shikamaru knew that the three siblings were left to fend for themselves quite a time and therefore had to grow up earlier than everyone else. But he had assumed that Temari would take care of her brothers alone.

"Don't worry if he mixed a poison in there, most of the antidotes are at home." She giggled as he froze.

"That's comforting," he murmured, causing Temari to laugh.

"We are there!" Temari called into the hall.

Gaara immediately came out of the kitchen. He was wearing her pink apron.

"Nice to see you, Shikamaru." He took his hand and shook it.

Temari saw Shikamaru's tense shoulder drop a bit. The first hurdle was cleared.

"Thank you for the invitation."

"Hey Temari. I need help. I can't get your secret sauce right," Kankurou called from the kitchen.

She looked briefly at Shikamaru, but he was already involved in a conversation with Gaara.

"What are you up to, Kankurou?" she hissed in his ear when she was standing right next to him. "I don't have a secret sauce."

"I just wanted to know if everything was okay. I was told that you stormed out of the archive earlier and hit a wall."

She still wanted to hide her hands, but it was too late. Kankurou grabbed her wrist and examined her hands.

"Are you going to let Anbu shadow me?"

"We all have additional protection."

"And you didn't think it was necessary to tell me that?" Now her voice was loud. "I'm not a kid to watch out for."

"You don't have to scream like that," her brother demanded. "I'm just worried about you. I don't want you to get hurt and just be a little careful."

"I WILL SCREAM WHEN I WANT IT AND I WILL NOT TAKE ANY INSTRUCTIONS FROM YOU!"

"I WON'T LET YOU SCREAM AT ME!"

Suddenly both Gaara and Shikamaru were standing in the doorway. Gaara had folded his arms in front of his torso and was looking at his siblings with a stern look. "We have a guest. It is rude to argue in front of guests."

"You can eat alone. I've lost my appetite."

With that she stormed past the three men out of the kitchen.

A door slammed just a few seconds later throughout the house. Shikamaru's hope that eating with Temari's family might not be as exhausting had vanished. He didn't know why she was arguing with her brother, but he had a clue.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru murmured.

Kankurou gave him a sour look.

"What did you say to Temari?" asked Gaara.

"Only that she should take care of herself. Didn't you see her hands?"

"What about her hands?"

"She hit a wall earlier," Shikamaru said.

"And that's probably your fault!"

Shikamaru was really getting annoyed by the situation. He knew why Kankurou behaved like this. As her brother, he not only saw himself in the duty to protect Temari, but he was also worried. Only he would not let Kankurou pass the buck to him.

"I avoided worse by using my jutsu." Shikamaru looked at both Gaara and Kankurou. Gaara was still crossing his arms, Kankurou gasped quietly."I didn't want her to hurt herself any more. The only thing you can accuse me of that I wasn't quick enough to stop her. Temari is as important to me as to you and I don't intend to leave unless she chooses."

His eyes stayed on Kankurou."That's why I would find it more pleasant for all of us if we get along. If one of you is against me, your sister will eventually choose a side and I don't want her to turn away from you. I want Temari to be fine. Can we agree on that?" The last question was for Kankurou. Shikamaru waited.

Then Kankurou held out his hand. He took it and returned the handshake.

"I have an eye on you, Nara. But you have your heart in the right place."

"If there is nothing wrong with that, I would go find Temari."

"No, I'm going," Gaara said. "You can continue to cook."

He took off the apron and layed it into Shikamaru's hand.

There were many favourite places in Suna that Temari visited regularly.

However, there was only one place to go when she was upset and wanted to think. The tea house that she then visited not only differed in the selection of teas from all other Suna houses, but above all by the garden in the middle of the building from which all tea rooms branched off.

Either you sat in the large room to enjoy your tea with others. Or - like Temari - you rented a small room alone or with someone to accompany you.

Even if there was no official agreement, the owner always kept one of the smaller rooms free for her. He saw it as thanks that Temaris had frequently visited, and many others now visited the tea house to perhaps get in touch with the Kazekage's sister.

In return, Temari was grateful that she was left alone and always gave a generous tip.

She had only been sitting on the soft tatami mats for a few minutes, looking at the plants exotic for Suna in the garden. She couldn't get enough of the cherry blossoms. In between, the lavender blew its heavy, tart and sweet fragrance through the open glass door. Every now and then you heard a splash from the pond when a koi snapped for a dragonfly. 

Her thoughts came to rest.

She just couldn't stand to face her brother when he looked at her with that pitying look.

He had always held back when she went out to eat with man every now and then. Now, however, when it looked like it was more, he interfered in her private affairs.  
She could live with additional protection. Even with excessive care. If she knew why. She didn't know what Kankurou was up to.

As expected, the door opened. Instead of a waitress Gaara stood in the door with a tray on which two tea mugs and her favourite dango were placed.

"What are you doing here, Gaara?"

"I want to talk to you about Kankurou."

Her lips tightened. Actually, she wanted her peace of mind and certainly not talking about Kankurou. But Gaara had expressed this wish.

"Then sit down and I'll listen to you."

Shikamaru had to admire Gaara. He was at least as good at manipulating other people as Kakashi. He almost suspected that it was a special quality that a Kage had to bring with him so that he would not get into too much work. How many times had Shikamaru worked an hour or two longer because Kakashi had convinced him that something important was pending, just to find out afterwards that this important thing consisted of rereading "Make-Out Tactics".

He would have to keep more than one eye on Naruto so that he never became the same.

They had quietly agreed that Shikamaru should cut vegetables while Kankurou was processing the meat. They worked like this until Kankurou broke the silence.

"Why did Temari hit the wall?"

"I don't know if it's your business“, Shikamaru answered, and continued to cut the onion into rings.

"It's about my sister, of course it's also my business."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. So Kankurou wanted to start a second round. He had apparently made a temporary peace just to rock Gaara in false security. He could have that. "In case you didn't notice, but there are things that only Temari and me have to do with."

"So it was, but it's your fault that she's hurt now," Kankurou said contemptuously.

"I never said that." Shikamaru threw the cut onions in a bowl and grabbed a bell pepper. He watched Kankurou lower the flame on the stove and also grabbed a pepper. For a long time there was only the clatter of knives on the wooden boards. He certainly wouldn't give in and let Kankurou intimidate him. However, Kankurou spoke before him again.

"You are not easy to crack."

"Hmm?"

"One can never see exactly what you think. You always have the same bored expression."

"We're not all that different, Kankurou," Shikamaru remarked, throwing the last piece of bell pepper into a bowl next to the onions. "We both are cruel if we need to and would die for our family and comrades . That unites us not only as Shinobi, but especially as humans. You don't reveal much about yourself either."

Kankurou stopped moving. Shikamaru waited. "I think I do you wrong, Nara. I believe that Temari is important to you. Nevertheless, the situation is new to all of us."

"We can agree that if I make Temari sad, you can punch me at any time," Shikamaru offered. "I don't think that's going to happen, but every plan has its flaws."

Kankurou suddenly laughed. He only calmed down when tears of laughter ran from his eyes.

"You really have a sense of humour."

"I think you're doing Kankurou wrong," Gaara began. "You think he wants to rule over you. He is only afraid for you."

"You have known Shikamaru for years. The situation has not changed much compared to before," Temari said.

Her brother shook his head.

"What if you and Shikamaru get married? Are you going to move to Suna? Or are you staying in Konoha? And do you think the Council would not have an eye on you? Your relationship could trigger a crisis between Suna and Konoha."

Temari noticed how her cheeks blushed.

_Marry._

Such a big topic. Not that as a little girl she never imagined what her dream wedding would look like. No, she had. But for her and Shikamaru it was too early to even think about it.

"Why are we talking about something that is still in the future? And you also know that I can speak very well for myself in the Council."  
The last remark wiped Gaara away with a wave of the hand. "Kankurou is scared."

The words lay between them like a sword. Suddenly Kankurou's behaviour made sense. He didn't want her to go away. Leave Suna and her brothers. Then she thought of something that frightened her. "Um, a question, Gaara. Where are Kankurou and Shikamaru?"

"At home and cook." Temari knocked over her cup as she leaned over the table.

„I hope for you that the house is still standing."

The house was still standing. Temari opened the door and found that everything was okay inside.

Maybe both of them went outside to fight?

Gaara followed her and closed the door. He seemed to be significantly less worried because he mumbled something about wanting to go to the bathroom. When she looked carefully into the kitchen, Kankurou and Shikamaru were actually standing and cooking. Now Shikamaru was wearing the pink apron. She suppressed a laugh.

"Hey, Nara. Do you call that spicy?" Her brother looked at Shikamaru with a challenging face.

"That's your serving," Shikamaru replied with a grin. "I don't want you to cry like a girl." Temari clawed her hand into the door frame.

Was he tired of life? Kankurou would surely throw one of the sharp knives at her boyfriend. This would likely worsen relations with Konoha if the Hokage's advisor was fatally injured by the Kazekage's brother. Just as she was thinking about going in between, Kankurou replied.

"I won't cry like you do. As if you knew how to cook in Konoha."

Temari giggled now. Whatever had happened between the two, but Gaara's plan had worked.

"Good, you win. But I got a Suna woman to cook for me." Both men turned to her at the same time.

"We've noticed you all along," Kankurou said casually. "Would you set the table, Gaara?"

Her other brother had also come into the kitchen. However, he had used the other door. He nodded.

"Will you help me?" The Kazekage turned to Shikamaru.

"Sure."

Soon the other siblings were alone.

"I think I have to apologize to you," both blurted out. Kankurou grinned at her and Temari did the same.

"It was foreseeable that you two would get together sometime. I don't have a problem with Shikamaru either. He's fine. But someone has to take care of you. And since Gaara has no idea about such things..." He shrugged his shoulders.  
"You know that I can take care of myself alone," Temari replied. "Nothing will change in the near future."

"Except that there will be a regular guest now."

"Not that often."

"Why did you punch a wall?"

"Because I'm an idiot," she started explaining.

Soon afterwards they sat at the dining table for a cosy, self-cooked meal in candlelight.

Suna was different from Konoha in many ways. It was only in the evening that people sat down to eat the main meal and it was celebrated.  
Shikamaru enjoyed the spicy curry and the rice served with it. Hot peppermint tea with a lot of sugar made an excellent contrast to the strongly flavoured main course. The floury, slightly sweet chickpeas gave the dish a rounded note.

"And who wears the apron better: Gaara, Shikamaru or me?" Kankurou asked around. "Definitely Shikamaru," Temari remarked without making a face.

He looked at her as surprised as Gaara, who choked briefly. Kankurou patted him on the back.

"Is there anything special about this apron?"

"Gaara gave it to me for my birthday years ago."

Temari glanced at Shikamaru, with a face he couldn't interpret. Was she making fun of him?

"I think it's pretty." The siblings then burst out laughing.

"Temari thought the apron was so terrible that she didn't talk to Gaara for almost a month after that."

"You forgot to mention how she first chased me through all of Suna with her tessen."

"If Shikamaru thinks it is so pretty, he can keep it", snarled Temari.

Shikamaru gave her a smile. Maybe the family dinner wasn't as a huge disaster as he first thought.


	4. Starry Sky

To got to the ends of the earth and back again was a phrase Shikamaru never understood until he discovered all the feelings he had for Temari.  
Of course, she had been important to him long before. How he had a special place in her life.

If Shikamaru had known that this feeling could be strengthened and increased a thousand times, he would have taken the first step towards a relationship long before. After such an eventful day, he felt his heart racing when he thought of her smile. He loved seeing her laugh.

The night was significantly cooler in the desert.

In Konoha, temperatures were only reached in winter, as they were the standard after sunset in Suna.

Shikamaru had made his way to his accommodation alone. Around noon tomorrow, Temari wanted to help him get ahead faster in the archives. He knew, of course, that her primary concern was to spend time with him. Shikamaru did not find it wrong to combine the pleasant with the useful.

As he lay on the roof of the hotel and gazed at the starry sky, he thought about how their relationship would affect the collaboration in the Shinobi Alliance.

At that time, he never thought that this would affect their work. That had been before, of course. Before they went on their date. Before he kissed her. Before they were in the middle of this whole relationship thing.

Shikamaru crossed his arms behind his head and tried to concentrate on the stars and to remember which constellations formed in the sky.

To date, he hadn't realized that Temari was suffering so much from the distance between them. Things had gotten much better now thanks to the technical possibilities they had. But often they were on missions far from technical progress, so a letter was the only way to communicate. In addition, words on paper without intonation of the voice, the looks of the other person, his gestures and facial expressions were more cumbersome and more prone to misunderstandings.

Shikamaru had assumed that everything was fine between him and Temari. How wrong he had been with this assessment had been clearly demonstrated to him today.

Temari missed him and didn't want to or couldn't admit it. She was also obviously ashamed of that feeling and that she was jealous.

Shikamaru needed a plan how to avoid such situations in the future. They clearly had to work on their communication and how to deal with possible problems in their relationship.

After saying goodbye to Shikamaru with a short hug at the door, she immediately plunged into the kitchen. Temari had to think. This worked best when her hands were busy. Scrubbing pots and polishing plates to a high gloss helped her to concentrate on the essentials. She turned and turned her thoughts in all directions, just as she whirled the dishes around in the water. The water splashed out of the ground as she went through one emotion after another.

In one minute she regretted her decision to invite Shikamaru. From one second to the next, her heart took the lead, guiding her thoughts back to his eyes and the feeling of his hand in hers.  
She had known from the start how difficult a relationship between them would be.

After this very emotional day, she was just agitated and confused. Before that, Shikamaru's presence or absence hadn't made such a big impression on her. Now that they were more than just friends who enjoyed their company, everything was turned upside down.

Her heart had taken over. She had always been afraid of the unknown. Her routine and her little rituals had been sacred to her. Temari had believed with Shikamaru that she would not go into uncertainty and would know exactly what she was doing. She had to admit how wrong she was.

Since she had acted rashly today, she needed someone else's input. Your best friend and closest confidante. Your counterpart in this regard. When she had cleaned everything and put it away - Kankurou and Gaara had kept away from the kitchen for safety reasons - she decided to talk to Shikamaru.

She would not get anywhere on her own, especially since she was no longer alone, but had a partner by her side. She crept quietly out of the house and jumped over the roofs of Suna.

A shadow that lay on top of him startled him out of his thoughts. He sat up.

It was Temari who came up to him on the roof. She was wearing a loose t-shirt and pants that went down to her knees tightly. Shikamaru had never seen her wear anything other than dresses and skirts over the years. He tried not to show how he looked at her well shaped legs because his girlfriend's expression was sad to thoughtful. She still didn't say a word and crouched next to him.

"I think we have to talk, Shikamaru," she opened the conversation.

"So you want to talk," Shikamaru repeated her words. "About the weather?"

"Don't be silly, Shikamaru."

"You have to give me more clues, Temari. I may be blessed with an above-average IQ, but not with the ability to read minds."

"Today showed me that it doesn't work that way. Between us."

Shikamaru felt upset. He had known she would react that way. Temari was insecure and she was probably afraid. But he wouldn't let her give up that easily. It just had started. They hadn't even really tried to be a couple. He tried not to show how much her words hurt him.

"No, Temari. Not like that," he leaned over to her and grabbed her wrist. "I won't let you give up on the first obstacle. Today only showed that we had to work on our communication." He saw the doubts in her eyes jump over her face. So she hoped her ridiculous manoeuvrer would work.

"I've never felt so miserable," she whispered. "In the weeks when we can't see each other, I can't breathe on some days because I miss you so much."

She bridged the distance between them and threw himself around his neck.

He pulled her closer. "What do you mean why I'm here?" he asked her. "Anyone else could have done this mission. But after Ino literally dragged me into the Hokage's office, I had no choice. I could never have asked Kakashi that I had to go to Suna to see you."

He became almost deaf when Temari burst out laughing. Making her laugh was so easy. "Good that you came over. If Kankurou had heard that I wanted to go to you, he would have personally followed me."

"You don't have to worry about Kankurou. I arranged that."

Temari leaned back to look him in the face. "What did you do, Shikamaru?"

"Promised him that if I make you unhappy, he can punch me."

She burst out laughing again.

Shikamaru could always have listened to this sound.

He loved hearing her laugh and seeing her smile.

* * *

The sun dazzled her eyes when she woke up the next morning. She blinked and was briefly confused that her bed was in a different position than usual. Then she noticed the arm around her waist, the smell of Shikamaru, and how his chest rose and fell. She was startled.

"Oh damn it!"

Shikamaru, who was awakened by her hectic pace, looked at her sleepily and yawned extensively.

"What time is it?" he asked. Temari didn't bother to answer and jumped out of bed.

"Eight o'clock. Damn it!”

She slipped on one shoe and was looking panicked for the second. At least Shikamaru was awake now. He leaned over to the other side of the bed and handed her other shoe.

"Here."

"Why did you let me sleep? Gaara is waiting for me and Kankurou will be so mad! "

"Slow, Temari," Shikamaru tried to appease her.

"How am I supposed to stay calm? I'm far too late.“ She put on the second shoe.

Shikamaru wasn't one of the quick types in the morning. That almost drove her crazy. His way of acting otherwise had an opposite effect on her, but since this was not about him or her, but about important matters for her village, she could not remain calm.

"You're late anyway. You can't change that. "

"Neither Gaara nor Kankurou know I'm here. Probably a bunch of Anbu is already looking for me! " Now he seemed to understand. His eyes went round. He got up and straightened his crumpled clothes.

"Should I come with you? It was my fault after all. "

She smirked at him. "You are not very attached to your life, are you? If Kankurou finds out that you are the reason why I neglect my duties, I can listen to inappropriate comments all day. And you won't come to Konoha alive. "

"Then go." He strode towards her and leaned down to her. She came up to him smiling and let him press his lips briefly on hers.

"There is no time for more," she remarked when she saw his disappointment on his face. "You should also brush your teeth."

With that she jumped out of the window and made her way to the Kazekage.

* * *

“This way we can guarantee that our shinobi have the best opportunities to learn their element-based jutsu under professional instruction. The exchange of techniques among the villages ensures that every Shinobi is fully trained. ”

As she looked around the room, Temari could see appreciation on their faces and a nod of approval here and there. As always, the Council hung on Temari's lips when she reported on the latest results of the Shinobi Alliance.

She knew that she was good at what she was doing, but getting approval from the village leaders always gave her some satisfaction. For ages they had tried to find a solution for this type of collaboration.

The last meetings Shikamaru and Temari had always missed each other. Either she or Shikamaru had been prevented and sent replacements. Konoha and Suna most times agreed with each other's ideas.

The friendships that existed between the two villages made it easier to reach an agreement. The only thing that bothered her was that Shikamaru's representative was too slow in some things and Matsuri, who was sent for Suna, was clearly too quick-tempered.

Temari was a little worried that their relationship would now affect their work.

"Therefore, I request that we prepare a line-up for the next Alliance meeting that includes our fighting strength and specialities."

"No, I can't approve of it," Jouseki said immediately. "We cannot share all of our secrets with the other villages!"He got up and hit the table.

"That's not the point," Kankurou jumped to her side. "It is about being able to train special units within the Alliance and to support each other."

"And what if the other villages use this knowledge against us? As soon as they know where our weaknesses are, they can specifically harm us.“ Gouza agreed with Jouseki.

“So far we have only received benefits from the Alliance. The ongoing peace alone proves us right.“

Sajou nodded to the three Suna siblings. The well-being of the village had always been more important to him than personal concerns. Unlike Gouza and Jouseki, who were still trying to intrigue against Gaara.

Temari already knew such disputes in the Council. The advice of the elders was not easy to convince, even if Gaara had been Kazekage for so long, it did not mean that everyone in the village completely trusted him. As a result, necessary decisions were delayed too long. Like now.

"It will not happen," said Gaara. "Our close alliance with Konohagakure has provided for better medical care. If we can roughly achieve a similar exchange with the other villages, it will be an enrichment for Suna.”

"We have to talk about the alliance with Konoha anyway." Gouza's gaze wandered to Temari.

"Now that the Hokage advisor is with Temari."

The silence that followed these words went through Temari's whole body. She had known that their relationship would eventually become a topic in a meeting. She was just surprised that it happened this early.

"My relationship is a private matter," Temari said in her defence. But she couldn't soothe the Council that easily.

"You are the daughter of Rasa and you have different duties than any other kunoichi of Suna. Konoha could use this connection to get information that does not belong outside."

There was some approving murmur. Temari tried to stay calm inside. For years she had only had an eye on the well-being of her home. The chunin exams with Konoha were only one piece of the puzzle. She has always worked for Suna's purposes. Also she had always worked with Shikamaru. Why was it a problem now?

She clenched her fist briefly under the table. Kankurou's eyes went to her.

"I don't know -"

"Temari always only worked for the best outcome for Suna, and for quite some time with Shikamaru", Gaara said. "I trust him and Konoha."

"Gouza is right. Temari children are entitled to be Kazekage. What would Suna be like if the next Kazekage came from Konoha?" Jouseki drilled deeper.  
So deep that Temari ran red for a moment. She hadn't even discussed this with Shikamaru. Why did she have to discuss this with these men now?

She would do anything for Suna except that.

"I don't think such matters need to be discussed here. Temari is aware of her duties. Just as Shikamaru is committed to Konoha," Kankurou jumped unexpectedly to her side. "So far there has never been any reason to doubt the loyalties of both. I therefore refuse to suppress Temari's position."

He added an undertone to his words that said: _She is my sister. Better not mess with me_. Temari looked gratefully in his direction.

"If there is nothing left to discuss, I would like to end this meeting."

Gaara looked at everyone present. Baki got up.

"I instruct Gazou and Jouseki to put together the line-up for the Alliance. This ensures that only the necessary information are passed on."

"I agree," said Gaara.

Then the gathering broke up.

Temari actually wanted to go directly to the archives to help Shikamaru, but Kankurou gestured to follow him into Gaara's office. She had barely closed the door when he started rumbling.

"Where were you last night?"

After Temari's departure he had gone back to the archives after a small breakfast. He wanted to do as much as possible to have lunch with Temari. She certainly knew a restaurant where she could eat undisturbed.

He was greeted warmly by the guards, and after Naoko brought him the scrolls, he started copying the information.

Since this only used part of his brain capacity, his thoughts wandered back to yesterday's night. It had been nice how Temari had leaned against him. How he had stroked her hair with his hand while she was talking about Suna. When she fell asleep, he must have been dozing off shortly afterwards.

His hand flew over the paper. He thought about how easy it would be if all archives were digitized and how much they were behind the times. Sure, this work had provided a wonderful excuse to travel to Suna, but the manual paperwork took an infinite amount of time. Time that could be invested more sensible.

He didn't know how long he had been working without interruption. He only looked up again when a chair was scratched across the floor.

Temari didn't say a word of greeting. She picked up a scroll and started writing. Whatever happened, she didn't want to talk about it. For a long time they worked silently. Shikamaru tried not to look in her direction with concern.

"Why is everything always so complicated?"

"Nothing is complicated when you consider all the options and decide on a solution." Temari sighed and sounded almost like him.

"You always look at everything as if it were not difficult to solve and would be delivered directly on a silver platter."

"Most of the time," he said and continued to write. "I'm sure I can find a solution to your problem.“ He looked up and smiled at her.

"Well, you are my problem."

He couldn't prevent his mouth from opening. Now she smiled. It was a sly smile.

"The elders of Suna are concerned, aren't they?"

"Yes, because our children are entitled to become the next Kazekage."

Shikamaru swallowed. He knew that Temari had a special position in Suna. She was the daughter of Yondaime Kazekage, sister of the current Kazekage and diplomat of her village.

He had considered all of this when he asked Temari for a date. He knew that she was an extraordinary woman in many ways. That is why he also knew that their hypothetical children were entitled to be future Kazekage. Still, he had hoped that they wouldn't have to talk about things like that early.

"I didn't just choose you on a whim, Temari," he began, putting the pen to one side. "You are important to me. I also know how important Suna is to you. So I believe that there is a solution for everything." He rolled up his notes. "I discussed everything with the elders and the Hokage in Konoha."

"You did what?"

Shikamaru saw Temari jump between shock and surprise.

"Since I was aware of the problem, I took precautions that would work if we had children at some point," he smiled at Temari. "I want it to work between us."

* * *

_As soon as Temari left Konoha after their date, Shikamaru had gone to Kakashi._

_He knew that he now had more than just an obligation to the village. He had also subconsciously committed to Suna. His relationship could become a diplomatic asset and a disaster for Konoha and Suna at the same time._

_Kakashi looked at him wide-eyed when he was in the office shortly after 7 a.m._

_"This is quite a surprise, Shikamaru. Did something happen?"_

_"Well, that's how you can say it._

_"You had a date yesterday, if I remember correctly."_

_"Yes." Shikamaru cleared his throat. "It's Temari."_

_"I didn't expect anything else," Kakashi replied with a smile. "And you're afraid of the consequences of that."_

_Shikamaru nodded._  
_"The Council of Elders should be gathered."_

_"Then I'll arrange it."_

* * *

"Why did you do it without telling me about it, Shikamaru?"

"The right time had not yet come," he admitted. "We have only recently officially been a couple. We don't need to complicate this for ourselves unnecessarily."

He raised his arm awkwardly over his head and held on to his neck.

Temari now got up and closed the door to the office before sitting on his lap and kissing him long and hard.

"Nara Shikamaru, you really are a genius."

Yes, he would got to the ends of the earth and back again for her.


	5. Desire

You got used to everything and especially shinobi were trained to ignore their physical and mental needs. At least until the danger was over, the mission was completed and the adrenaline subsided. Then you could breathe deeply, sleep, eat, recover.

Temari wanted exactly that when she was walking through the snow in the Land of Iron and the wind was constantly pushing her cloak aside. She wanted a warm cup of cocoa and a fire to warm herself up.

Perhaps Shikamaru had already arrived and they had a little time for themselves. They hadn't seen each other in two weeks, but for Temari it was too long.

It was incredible how little she recognized herself. She would never have thought that the term besotted would suit her. But that was exactly what had happened.

  
She was totally and head over heals in love with Shikamaru. So much so that she behaved irrationally. One evening Kankuro had looked at her strangely when she had read one of Shikamaru's letters and had to laugh again and again. She was sure that her brother almost missed the old Temari.

They were mainly here to work, but it was romantic to go for a walk in the snow and warm up by the open fire. She stepped inside and immediately saw Shikamaru reading on a sofa in front of the fireplace in the lobby. She checked into her room and went towards him.

"If that's not the laziest shinobi I know," she greeted him as she stood next to the sofa.

He raised his head from his book and looked at her. Apparently he was still immersed in the reading material because his forehead was frowning.

"Hey," it came back lame. "Had a good trip?"

"Always." She leaned down. Shikamaru stretched out to meet her and returned the short kiss.

"Your face is freezing cold," he murmured to her lips.

"Could be because it's snowing outside." Temari went around the sofa and took off her cloak. Her scarf followed on the sofa's armrest while the bag was placed under the table.

"Well and you're wearing far too little again," he said with a smile.

"I hate thick clothes. You know that." Shikamaru made her room on the sofa and passed the sweater he had taken off over to her. She put it on.

"How does it look?"

"Very good."

She kicked off her shoes and made herself comfortable. Then she leaned against Shikamaru. It took a short moment and a little readjustment before she laid with her head in his lap.  
She reached for his hand, which was lightly around her waist. A short time later she was asleep.

Shikamaru listened to the crackle of the fire and Temari's breath that flowed out of her steadily and calmly. He had hurried to be here earlier so that he had the chance to enjoy some small private moments with Temari.

They had discussed in advance not to make their relationship in the Shinobi Alliance a secret. Sooner or later someone would find out anyway. Besides that, almost everyone thought they were a couple for a long time, even if that wasn't true. He didn't want to hide. He stroked her hair gently. She had bent her legs close to her body and clasped her hands in front of her face. Temari looked so peaceful when she was asleep.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Chojuro slapped a hand on his shoulder to greet him. "You are here early!"

He winced briefly. Fortunately, Temari hadn't woken up.

"Hello Chojuro. Lower your voice. Temari is sleeping." Shikamaru saw the mouth of the shinobi from Kirigakure open and close briefly. He had only just noticed Temari. Shortly afterwards he grinned.

"It was about time with you two," Chojuro looked over his shoulder and whispered: "Is that supposed to remain a secret?"

Shikamaru shook his head.

"There's no use anyway." He indicated a shrug of the shoulders. "Half think we have always been together and the rest may listen to us."

"I'm really happy for you. But you haven't been together that long?"

"Four months," Temari mumbled sleepily and sat up. "Hello Chojuro."

"Hi, Temari. I didn't want to wake you."

"It's okay. Hunger would have woken me up anyway."

She stretched up and yawned. Shikamaru found her sleepy sight simply adorable. The hair messed up, the eyes swollen and his sweater that snuggled up to her. He looked away for a moment, as his face turned red. His thoughts drifted a little further on what was under the clothes.

Under no circumstances should Temari notice this. It was clearly too early for that.

"Well, then let's organize something to eat. The others should be there soon," Shikamaru suggested, clearing his throat.

"I just have to bring my things into the room."

"Me too," said Chojuro. "I'll go with you."

"My wallet is in my room."

"Then we'll just go all three," Temari decided and jumped up. "I am starving."

Since Chojuro's room was on another floor, they had agreed to meet again at the reception. So they got to Shikamaru's room first.

However, he didn't have much time when Temari turned him around and kissed him. Willingly he went into the kiss and pulled her a little closer to him. There was nothing gentle about her kiss, it was wild desire.

Shikamaru returned the same, and his hands automatically went under the sweater she was wearing. Her hands did the same, hitting skin directly under his shirt.  
Shikamaru noticed how a pleasant shiver on his back. They had never kissed like this before. It was a kiss that could very quickly lead to more. He held out another blink of an eye, then broke the kiss and pushed Temari gently away.

They were both out of breath. Temari's ears and mouth were as red as he thought his cheeks were glowing. They were still holding each other, only this time very lightly, aware that every touch would lead to more.

"I didn't want to attack you like that." She smiled.

"Looked different to me," he said in a breathless voice. "And not that I didn't enjoy it, but…"

"... it's too early," Temari finished.

He leaned his forehead against hers and looked deep into her eyes.

"You really kill me, Temari. I've already forgotten why I'm here at all."

"Your wallet," she whispered.

When they wanted to pick up Chojuro at the reception, the rest of the shinobi had already gathered around. Everyone instantly burst out cheering because they saw their linked hands. A few suggestive remarks and congratulations later, they finally sat in the restaurant.

He kept his eyes on Temari all evening, thinking of her kiss in the room.

The tension between her and Shikamaru hadn't abated all evening. He had been watching her. She had felt the tingle on the back of her neck. Her shinobi senses were trained to recognize when she was being watched. Until now she hadn't realized how useful this skill could be in other ways.

She was inspired by the alcohol and a little adventurous.

In his room earlier, she almost crossed a line. The rational part of her brain knew that she wasn't at this point with Shikamaru. But the tipsy part in her wanted the give in to the fire in her stomach area. After everyone had said goodbye, Temari sneaked into the bar behind Shikamaru.

"Shall we go?" She said softly. He turned in surprise and handed her a glass of water. She had noticed that he winced briefly when her breath touched his ear. So he also felt this tension between them.

"Let's have a last drink, then we can go."

As soon as they stepped outside, Temari grabbed his arm. At the meetings before they had already made their rounds through the snow and talked about god and the world. Today it was a common, pleasant silence that accompanied them.

Temari had drunk a little too much alcohol, which is why Shikamaru supported her walking. She giggled every now and then. A drunken Temari was nothing new to him. He knew that drunk people tended to get exuberant. Which is why he never took more than a glass himself. He hated to give up control.

In addition, someone had to take the drunk people home. He vividly remembered how he had once carried the completely knocked Ino home on his shoulder. During a binge drinking - because you couldn't call it any other way - with Sakura and Tsunade.

Temari didn't come anywhere near this condition, but he noticed how nervous she was. Something was bothering her and he could guess in which direction her thoughts were going. For the past few hours he had been thinking about how she had drawn him and how close he was about giving in; surrender to the moment. He had known Temari for a long time. She wasn't just any woman. That's why he didn't want to mess it up.

"I want to sleep with you," Temari blurted out. "And that scares me."

She stopped, which also caused Shikamaru to stop. Immediately she looked at the floor in shame. The tips of her ears were red.

"What scares you, Temari?" He grabbed her chin so that she looked at him.

"Isn't it too early? Don't we have to wait? Shouldn't we wait?"

A smile spread to the corner of his mouth. She leaned against his chest. He felt more than hearing her exhale deeply.

"As long as you're scared we shouldn't rush," he paused and gave her a kiss on the hair. "And just so you know: I'm nervous about it, too."

She snorted. "What's funny about that?"

"We have known each other for ages and are acting so incredibly stupid in this relationship thing."

Now she laughed loudly and let herself fall into the snow. Shikamaru looked down at her, puzzled. The tears of laughter ran down her face. He wondered briefly if she had gone mad. But the alcohol was probably to blame.

"Shikamaru, the genius from Konoha and Temari, ambassador of Suna manage to survive a war, but when it comes to waging a relationship, they are hopelessly overwhelmed. Because feelings cannot be planned," she shouted. Shikamaru was carried away by her laugh and held out his hand. She reached for it and was still shaking with laughter.

"If you put it that way, we're really pretty idiots," he admitted. "Let's go inside."

She wiped her face and sniffed. Shikamaru loved this woman. It was too early to tell her that. Perhaps he would soon have the opportunity.

* * *

"No, Suna is not ready to give more information," Temari repeated for the third time. "This line-up is all that the Council has approved."

"That is enough, but not enough," said Omoi. "Kumo listed the fighting strength down to the smallest detail."

"Unfortunately there is no more information, Omoi," Shikamaru interrupted the discussion. "So we can only work with it."

"How about you not to stand on your girlfriend's side", the Iwagakure ambassador interjected.

"I'm leading the Alliance," Shikamaru silenced him. "And we are not making progress as long as we only argue about one fact."

"Shikamaru is right," Chojuro agreed. "It will certainly be easier to convince the leaders in Suna if we can produce results that describe our project in more detail."

Temari looked gratefully at Chojuro while Morio was still not completely convinced. She herself was extremely dissatisfied with the stubbornness of her village and that she had been unable to do more. Chalking that up to her was unfair and then dragging her relationship into this discussion.

She knew how to behave professionally. Morio, on the other hand, often had a tendency to misbehave. After the meeting, she would speak a serious word to him. For now, she swallowed her anger.

"We should concentrate on planning the training of the special forces," said Yuuto, the representative of the samurai.

When evening came and meetings were postponed until the next day, Shikamaru followed an apparently angry Temari. He had no chance of catching up with her when she already took Morio by the shoulder.

"What is your problem?" she hissed at him.

Shikamaru, who knew that Morio was rather shy, saw the disaster pulling out on the horizon. He had to prevent the ambassadors fighting each other. They were on neutral territory.  
"I, um, you," Morio stuttered. Shikamaru saw the beads of sweat spread across his face.

"If Suna is not willing to give more information, you have to live with it," she said in a loud voice. "And you have no right to comment my personal life."

All other ambassadors were left standing at the spectacle. Shikamaru wanted to join the two, but was hold back from Chojuro, since Yuuto interfered.

"Let's be civilized, Temari," he tried to calm her. Shikamaru, who knew Temari better than anyone else, also knew that she was unimpressed by those words.

"I'm only civilized when nobody takes my private life on the line of fire," she growled.

"I'm sorry," stammered Morio. "I was just kidding."

"Then save yourself jokes in the future."

Temari turned on her heels and dashed off.

Shikamaru sighed. It would be better if he said a few words to Morio so that he didn't immediately pack his things and left. That wasn't how he had imagined the meeting.

She made no big detours, but ran into her room to grab her tessen and her shuriken so that she could go to exercise. She hated nothing more than when others attacked her. Maybe she overreacted. She didn't want to rule that out. Only now she was just so pissed that she wanted to break something. She was so angry.

On the leaders of their village, on the Alliance and on themselves. Yes, even a little on Shikamaru. Better she vented on now and after that she would apologize to Morio. After her tessen was strapped on her back, she left her room and went to the training ground in the forest.

She had thrown shuriken around for half an hour to warm up and then she used her tessen to make some trees into firewood. She was breathing heavily. The cold air was unusual for her and stung her lungs. It was getting dark in the forest. She would better pack her things and go back to the inn. Temari folded her tessen and stowed the rest of her equipment as she recognized Shikamaru, who was standing by a tree.

"Have you been standing there for a long time?" He shook his head and took a step towards her.

"I apologize, Shikamaru," she said sheepishly. "I shouldn't have reacted that way."

"That's right," he agreed. "That's why you'll apologize to everyone before the next meeting tomorrow. I have to take my duties as head of the Shinobi Alliance seriously."

She looked at him. Even though he was younger than her, he seemed so much more mature than everyone else. He had taken on a lot of responsibility early in his life and was already one of the most important positions in his village. She was sure he would make a great Hokage too. So she wasn't angry with him for talking to her like that now. He was right.

"Let's go eat something." He held out his hand.

"I'd love to.”

Shikamaru was still unable to sleep, which is why he finally sneaked out of bed and went through a few moves on his Shogi board. The day had been very emotional. He hated to be caught in the middle. He pushed the pieces across the board and tried not to imagine Temari's crestfallen face. She had been taciturn all evening, just poking around in her food.

When he said goodbye at her room, she had hesitantly met his kiss. Shikamaru couldn't change that, he knew. It was up to Temari to put her thoughts in order. A light knock on the door pulled him out of the game. He was not surprised to find Temari waiting outside.

She said nothing when he opened the door a little further for her. Temari didn't waste a minute, but pressed her lips on his mouth. He was completely taken aback and let her push him onto the bed. He realized that they had been at the same point yesterday.

Shikamaru stumbled briefly and dragged Temari with him. He was just trying to concentrate on her. How she kissed him, took his breath away and how good it felt that she was sitting on him. Her hands went under his shirt. He reached for it to take it off. Temari laughed when they parted briefly to continue their kiss shortly thereafter.

  
He grabbed her with both arms and threw her on his back. Now he was stuck between her legs.

He briefly wondered if it was okay, then her hand went over his bare back and pulled him closer to him. His mouth went down her neck.

Shikamaru noticed how she got goosebumps. He gripped her butt with one hand and hit bare skin there. She didn't stop him as he wandered higher.

"Shikamaru," she breathed. He stopped his kisses on her neck and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Let's stop," she asked shyly. Shikamaru kissed her on the top her nose and climbed off the bed. Temari straightened her nightgown and rubbed her hair. He sat down next to her and took her hand.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm just really confused right now."

"Me too," he admitted.

"It's just so crazy. I want to be as close to you as possible. Nevertheless, I have respect for what follows after kissing." Shikamaru pulled her into his arms and stroked her arm. He could hear her heart pounding loudly. At least her breath calmed.

"It's normal to be afraid of the unknown."

"But you are not unknown to me. I have known you for so long, Shikamaru. Actually, I shouldn't be afraid."

"If it calms you down, it scares me too."

"Can I stay here for the night?"

"Of course," he replied with a smile. "But you have to promise me to keep your hands with you."

"Shikamaru!" She slapped him on the arm. Now he had to laugh. Then she snatched her hand from him and moved a little away.

"How troublesome."

Now Temari made a sound somewhere between frustration and amusement.

"Sometimes I wonder why I got involved with you."

"I think because I look so good?" She moved her eyes over his still free upper body.

"No, it definitely isn't." Shikamaru noticed how her voice stopped briefly.

"Then because I'm so intelligent."

"I would say arrogant is more likely." She couldn't suppress a smile.

"I know," his voice grew harsh as he leaned over to her. "Because I can kiss so good." She didn't fight back when he kissed her.

"If I stay here, are you going to sleep without a shirt?"

"But only kissing." She smiled.

"Turn off the lights."

He did as she ordered and crawled under the covers to her. She moved closer to him so that her hair tickled his nose.

"I really like you very much, Shikamaru," was the last sentence that came from her before she fell asleep.

 _I love you,_ he thought.


	6. Exams

Soon as Shikamaru was back in Konoha the next challenge approached: The Chunin exams. For the first time, all five large hidden villages would participate. That meant not only an immense effort, but above all stress.

Shikamaru sat in his office in the Hokage Tower from dawn until late at night, cursing his life. If the exams had been in Kirigakure as planned, Chojuro would have had to do most of the planning.

However, there had recently been suspicious Nukenin movements in Kiri. Which is why the entire security concept was thrown over. Fortunately, Sai had to deal with the various special forces and to get it in the bag.

Had that also been part of the mountain of his duties, he would probably have quit and give Naruto the responsibilites. The thought of Naruto hanging helplessly over the papers amused him for a moment.

With a sigh, he opened the next scroll.

Temari arrived in Konoha late in the afternoon and was surprised not to see Shikamaru picking her up as usual, but Ino. She sensed that he stuck in a lot of work. All of the emails she'd received from him in the past few weeks had been short and crisp. It was unusual for him to write emails at all. Otherwise he took the time to write a letter.

Which was why she had hoped he would at least take some time off to pick her up. It wasn't that she didn't like Ino, but she didn't know Shikamaru's closest friend well enough to know exactly how to stand with her. And she also didn't know whether Ino liked her.

"Hello, Temari. Nice to see you again. Unfortunately I have to excuse Shikamaru, he is still in a planning meeting."

"You shouldn't have bothered, Ino. I hope you're okay?"

"There is always a lot to do," said Ino as they walked past the guards. "Especially because my students were admitted to the Chunin exams."

"Shikamaru never told me that." Ino looked at her in astonishment, but then continued.

"Chouji's team also participates."

"So you already know what your students are going to do?"

"Not so far. The Kage are making a huge secret of it this year. Because last year was such a disaster."

That was an understatement. The last exam had been canceled early because someone had told the candidates everything. The entire concept was then revised.  
She still got an attack of sweating when she thought about it.

Until this day the desert exam had been the biggest catastrophe under her direction.

It was better not to think about her own exam, in which Orochimaru had pretended to be her own father. She shook her head to get rid of that memory for now.

„I just don't want to think of that," came a sigh from Temari. "Is Chojuro there already? And Omoi?"

"You sound like Shikamaru when it comes to the Chunin exams," said Ino with a laugh. "Yes, they arrived yesterday. I should also take you to the Hokage right away."

"If I can eat something afterwards, I'm fine."

Kakashi was otherwise rather bored with his work than Hokage, but when it came to test Genin to become Chunin, his spirits arouse. Shizune and Shikamaru struggled to slow him down in his enthusiasm. One idea after the other gushed out of him, securing them tasks for the next three decades.

"No, Kakashi, we can't do that. Not even every Jounin could solve this task," Shizune said again today. Shikamaru refrained from commenting and tried to keep his eyes open. He had hardly slept the last night, let alone rest. Gradually, the exams began to get to his substance.

A knock on the door finally interrupted this dull meeting.

"I brought Temari here, Hokage."

Shikamaru, who was just tired, woke up when he saw Temari walking through the door. He was so glad that she had to do this with him now. It made everything more bearable.

"I warmly welcome you to Konoha, Temari. If you would both sit down? We also need a brief input from the Intel Division and the barrier team, Ino," said Kakashi.

* * *

"This meeting is finally over," Ino said, what they all thought when they went out into the fresh air.

"A torture master was lost to Kakashi-sensei," Sakura agreed. She had witnessed the last hour of the meeting because she and Shizune provided medical care and this also had to be integrated into the security concept.

"I like such meetings," said Sai, gathering a few angry glances from his friends.

"I have to go. I'm taking over Shizune's shift.“ Sakura said goodbye and turned into the next street.

"Work is waiting for me too," said Sai. "See you later, beautiful."

Shikamaru saw Ino turn away from him in shame when Sai kissed her on the cheek. He didn't dig deeper, but considered how he could bridge the time until Temari was released from Kakashi's clutches. Then, as usual, he would go out to eat with her. Ino got ahead of him.

"What do you think if we go to YaninikuQ with Choji in the evening? You can also bring Temari with you," she emphasized the last words so much that Shikamaru knew that Ino had ulterior motives.

"What are you going to do, Ino?" He raised an eyebrow to underline his question.

"Well, we hardly know Temari. A meal is the perfect opportunity to get to know each other." Shikamaru knew the sugar-sweet tone Ino was now striking.

"Can't you for once leave people alone, Ino?"

"I won't do anything except ask a few questions, Shikamaru. She doesn't have to answer them."

"Well I'll ask Temari if she's up to it."

"Thank you!" Ino threw himself around his neck. "You will not regret it."

Temari had freshened up briefly when she got to her room. She had found a message from Shikamaru on her door saying that he would pick her up around eight o'clock. She quickly swapped her clothes for something more comfortable.

Perhaps the skirt was a little shorter than usual because Shikamaru always looked after her. She had also opened her braids and combed her hair because he liked it so much.  
At eight o'clock she went outside and waited for Shikamaru. As always, with his hands in his pockets he walked towards her. With every step he came closer, her smile widened. He returned her smile. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Within a few seconds she was in his arms. Shikamaru's arms wrapped around her, keeping her safe and secure.

She breathed in his scent. It was so good to finally be able to greet him properly.

"I'm happy to finally have some free time. Where are we going?"

"Well, Ino asked if we should go out to dinner with her and Chouji."

She immediately heard the hesitation in his voice. "But?"

"I think she wants to question you. We can have dinner alone if you don't like it."

She considered the options. Of course it was tempting to be alone with Shikamaru. They could grab something to eat and greet themselves in peace. Her thoughts wandered to the many nightly hours they had spent kissing and closely entwined in the Land of Iron. She would very much like to have started the evening in the same way.

"Let's go eat with your friends."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

The dinner went pretty well in Shikamaru's opinion, except for the fact that Temari hardly got anything to eat. Either Ino pestered her with questions or Choji snatched the meat from the grill.  
Helpful as he was, he inconspicuously pushed her meat onto the plate. She thanked her by pushing his knee under the table. It was hard not to touch her after not seeing each other for so long. He wanted to be alone with her and hold her in his arms.

Instead, he was sitting here with his ravenous best friend and the most curious kunoichi since the discovery of ninjutsu, who asked so many questions that he hoped Temari would not kill her straight away.

"The starry sky in Suna is much clearer than here in Konoha. I always miss that when I'm not at home," answered Temari Ino's last question.

"Shikamaru didn't say anything about that," said Ino, cheerfully talking on.

Shikamaru noticed how tiredness was slowly catching up with him. He hadn't been hungry for a long time and was just waiting for Choji to inhale all of the restaurant's meat supplies.

He looked unobtrusively over to Temari. She listened to Ino with a polite smile, but seemed to be somewhere else entirely with her thoughts. He had to get her out of this restaurant somehow.

"I'm full," Choji announced.

"Since when have you ever had enough?"

Ino seemed to be personally attacked. Shikamaru was thankful, however, that Choji rushed to his and Temaris' rescue. He hadn't eaten nearly as much as usual.

"We've been sitting here two hours now, Ino," Choji remarked casually, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Oh, I have to go anyway. I have something else to do," Ino suddenly remarked and blushed a little.

It suddenly became very hectic and after they paid, Ino urged them to the exit. There she hugged a surprised Temari, let Choji also hug her and gave Shikamaru a kiss on the cheek. Then she hurried down the main street until she disappeared from view.

"You owe me one, Shikamaru," Choji said. "I lied to Ino and if she finds out, were both doomed."

"You will get your favorite chips from me."

"I'll add a bag," Temari said.

"It was nice to finally get to know you properly, Temari.“ Choji said goodbye. "I wish you a nice evening."

Shikamaru was so thankful for this friendship. He would get him a weekly supply of chips. At least if Temari added half, otherwise he would be poor afterwards.

Temari had linked arms up with Shikamaru as soon as they left the busy streets of Konoha. He led her along the water. They were silent for a wonderful half an hour.

"I've never longed for silence so much," said Temari relieved when they stopped short.

"I'm really sorry," Shikamaru apologized. "But you bravely persevered."

"Your friends love you," said Temari. She entangled her hand with his.

"Why do you think that?"

"Ino would like to know everything about me and get a comprehensive picture. Others would find this intrusive, but she only wants the best for you," she moved closer to Shikamaru and touched his cheek with her hand. Her hair shimmered almost gold in the moonlight.

"Choji is loyal to you. He prefers to watch and form his opinion."

"So you like my friends?"

"How could you not like them? You can tell how much you mean to each other." Instead of an answer, he leaned down to her and finally gave her a real hello kiss.

"Let's go to me," Temari suggested. "I have a few things to show you."

"An offer that I cannot refuse."

* * *

The next day started so perfectly. After waking up next to Temari, he had invited her to breakfast. There they had just talked to each other for an amazing hour and enjoyed their company. They bought the promised chips together for Choji shortly afterwards and then went to the next meeting for the Chunin exams. From then on, everything went downhill.

Due to the large number of participants, the preliminary round had to be divided into four sections. In addition to the written exam and a round of combat, the shinobi aspirants would then demonstrate their skills in two different terrains.

The respective teams would be tested for this in Iwa, Kumo and Suna. After that, the final rounds of fighting would happen. Shikamaru was very happy with this elaboration, especially since all the villages had already sent their genin on the way so that the written exam could be held in Konoha.

Sai was just presenting the final security concept.

Omoi made no secret of the fact that the lecture bored him and had rested his chin on his hand. Temari and Chojuro were masters at covering up their boredom.

Shikamaru knew that Temari was not looking at her notes but was actually reading a book, while Chojuro was working on training sessions. Since it would have been much too conspicuous to take a Shogi board with me, Shikamaru mentally played through some games. Only Morio from Iwa seemed interested in this lecture.

Kakashi had managed to wriggle out of the meeting entirely. He still had to do something urgently. Shikamaru already knew this excuse. Deep in thought, he almost missed the completion of Sai's report.

"This ensures the safety of all Genin and we have enough Chunin and Jounin who are in reserve", said Sai.

“Thank you, Sai. Do you have a list for us to pass on to the other villages? ”

“I have an print out for you here. The lists have already been approved by the Hokage and passed on. ”

He now distributed a twenty pages long list to them and said goodbye. Shikamaru leaned back in his chair and sighed loudly.

"Security meetings are really boring," agreed Omoi, who had his arms stretched over his head. "What's next?"

"We still have to discuss whether enough medic-ninja can be exempted in all villages for the exams," Temari answered and rummaged in her notes. “It also has to be determined which Jounin supervise the tests in the respective terrain. So far we've always put it off. ”

"Various Shinobi are available from the Aburame and Hyuuga clan, who monitor the terrain over a large area. Naruto has also offered help to all villages. You will find a list in your documents. ”

"Basically we just need, Naruto," Chojuro joked.

"Then we need a different security concept." Shikamaru's comment briefly, relaxing the mood. "So let's go ahead with monitoring the terrain …"

* * *

Three days later, Temari stood in front of the building in which the written exams were to be held and happily surveyed the large number of Genins that were waiting. She looked for Kankuro in the crowd, who had also registered a team for the exam, but was then surprised by a completely different sight.

Shikamaru came up to her and had a little girl on his shoulders. The little girl seemed vaguely familiar to Temari. The red eyes were her most salient feature.

Apparently she liked sitting on Shikamaru's shoulders because she laughed and threw her hands up in the air. Temari smiled when she saw Shikamaru wobble on purpose and the girl clapped her hands with enthusiasm.

He had reached Temari just a few steps later.

“Who did you bring there? Is she old enough to take the exams? ”

“This is Mirai. Mirai, that's Temari“, he introduced them to each other.

Temari knew now who the girl was. She knew that Shikamaru was the godfather for the child of his former sensei. She had never met the little girl before, but he had previously described what a great child she was and spoke of her red eyes. They were just like their mother's.

"Glad to meet you, Mirai." She smiled at her. Instead of an answer, Mirai reached into her hair and an astonished "pretty" came out of Mirai's mouth.

"Yes, Temari hair is pretty, but I told you that you don't just touch people's hair, Mirai."

"Sorry, oniisan," she mumbled. "Wants to Maris arm! "

Temari found the little girl incredibly cute and fulfilled her wish. She clung very confidently around her neck and snuggled up to her.

"Smells good”, noticed Mirai. 

Shikamaru obviously liked what he saw while Temari tried not to blush. She could closely follow his thoughts. He was obviously thinking about what it would be like to hold their child in her arms. Mirai had now put her head on her shoulder and watched what was happening around her. Temari had never realized how heavy a child could be.

“How come you play babysitter today? You said nothing about that yesterday.”

“Kurenai had to step in as a supervisor for the exam. Since we both have nothing else to do, I offered to take care of her.” As usual, he raised his hand over his head to his neck. As always when he was embarrassed. "I hope that's okay with you."

"As long as I can watch the fighting afterwards." She gave him a smile that should express that he didn't have to worry.

"You will have to listen to the name Mari now." Temari could see his smug grin.

"If you ever call me that name, Shikamaru, I will chase you through all of Konoha with my tessen."

"I'd like to see that," remarked Kankurou, who had sneaked in from the side.

"I've been looking for you," Temari said to her brother. "Are your students excited already?"

"Whichever way you take it. Matsuri's team is much more nervous. Probably because Matsuri itself is a bundle of nerves. ”

He pointed to the Matsuri, who had just ascended to Jonin and was pale in the midst of her team.

"I better talk to her." But this did not happen because Mirai suddenly noticed Kankuro and screamed. Temari was so startled by the volume that she almost dropped the girl.

“Maru! There is a monster! ”

Temari quickly handed Mirai back to Shikamaru where she immediately pressed her face to his T-shirt and clung tightly to him. Tears sparkled in her eyes. Kankuro seemed piqued that a little girl titled him a monster. Temari turned her laugh into a snort.

“This is not a monster, Mirai. It's just Temari's brother Kankuro. ”

"Well, thanks too." Kankuros couldn't hide his offended undertone. "Who is the child anyway?

"Shikamaru's godchild, Mirai," explained Temari.

"After my sensei died, I promised to take care of her." He stroked Mirai's back soothingly. “Would you like to see what Kankuro can do, Mirai?”

"Do you want me now to unpack my puppets?"

“Now don't be a spoiler, little brother. You made the child cry. ”

Even though Kankuro obviously disliked it, he summoned Karasu from his scroll. Mirai, who dared to look at Kankuro again, got round eyes. This time she was clearly fascinated. Kankuro grinned and let the doll dance a little. Mirai started to laugh.

“Kuro, funny! I want to play with puppets too! ”

"Certainly, Kuro will teach you that if you like Mirai," Temari promised.

Her brother snorted in annoyance, but still fooled around with Mirai until the doors for the written exam were opened.  
Temari looked at Shikamaru with a smile.

She seemed to have passed the exam with flying colours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all needed Kankuro playing with Mirai, didn't we?


	7. Unbelievable

"After reviewing all documents, we have a total of 27 teams that are still in the race?" Shikamaru looked at his colleagues and everyone nodded in agreement across the room.

He sighed inwardly. That was still too many teams. He had actually hoped to reduce the former 164 teams even further. Now he had to hope the Genin would knock out each other in the next few rounds.

Chojuro deliberately wrote the individual names Temari read to him, while Omoi and Morio set about dividing the teams equally between Iwa, Suna and Kumo.

The task looked relatively simple: Depending on the area, the Genin had to fight for a scroll: lightning, wind or earth scroll. Each team had to resist in the climate of two villages. So that the Chunin contenders had no advantage, they were not assigned to their home villages. The scrolls were given to them when they arrived at a predetermined end point or when they were removed from the opposing teams.

At the beginning, each team was given a random scroll. The goal was that in the end all three scrolls were in possession. First they had to travel to the respective villages.

"Then we need at least nine Jounin per terrain. The best is a local shinobi," said Shikamaru. "And for support as many Anbu and Chunin as possible."

"Already done," said Omoi.

"When will the Genin leave?"

"Tomorrow evening," said Iruka. "I still don't think it's a good idea to let the teams travel alone."

"They should be prepared for shinobi life as much as possible," said Temari. "This includes going on missions alone later."

"We talked about it, Iruka-sensei," said Shikamaru. "There are enough Chunin and Jounin and Naruto's shadow clones on the routes between the villages. Nothing will happen to the Genin."

"I'll then tell the teams how to proceed," Chojuro said. "Are you coming, Shikamaru?"

"Are there any questions or comments?"

When no one answered, Shikamaru left the room with Chojuro.

He was glad that this part of his job was done for now. From now on, other Jounin took responsibility. He would only be needed again in a month for the final combat rounds. Unfortunately, this also meant that he had to say goodbye to Temari again today. She would leave a few hours in advance to be ahead of the Genin who travelled to Suna.

Temari waited impatiently for Shikamaru in front of the building. She didn't have much time left and wanted to spend at least an hour with him. Kankuro would join her on the return trip. He wouldn't be in a good mood because she had previously forced him to have fun with a toddler.

"You look so grim, what are you thinking about?" She turned and saw Sakura smiling at her from the side.

"Kankurou," said Temari. Sakura's smile became a grin.

"I understand," she replied knowingly. "I was hoping to meet Shikamaru, but since I see you, I can give you the invitations."

Temari were given two scrolls. "Invitations? For what?"

"Naruto's and Hinata's wedding." Temari looked at Sakura in disbelief. She knew that Naruto and the Hyuuga princess were together. She hadn't realized that it was so serious between the two.

"And why do I get two invitations?"

"One is for Gaara. The other goes to Shikamaru," said Sakura. "And I bet he'll take you."

As much as she tried not to blush, Temari felt her cheeks get hot.

Visiting a wedding together meant showing your relationship openly. This made everything, at least in her eyes, more official. She had no doubt that Shikamaru would ask her to accompany him. Still, she felt caught and ashamed. "Will Sasuke come too?"

Even though she had never understood why Naruto had clung to Sasuke with such vehemence, she could not help admiring what Naruto had done. He had sacrificed everything to bring his best friend to his senses. Just like he wanted everyone around him to become better the best example of this was her own brother. Temari had no doubt that with Shikamaru's help as a Hokage, Naruto would eventually work wonders for Konoha and the entire Shinobi world.

"Sasuke-kun received an invitation." Now it was Sakura who got red cheeks.

Temari hoped for Sakura and Naruto that Sasuke would appear. She had noticed how he had changed. He even apologized to her for the behaviour during the Gokage meeting. She had agreed to pardon him. Not because Gaara had the same opinion, but because she had noticed that he really regretted.

"I would be happy to see him again," Temari replied with a smile.

„I have to go. Work needs to be done" said Sakura and turned away.

She watched Sakura briefly as she disappeared from view and turned just in time to see Shikamaru sneak up on her. He looked very happy, which meant that the Chunin exams had ended for today.

Shikamaru had known in advance that Naruto's wedding was coming up. He had been involved in finding a date, so he took the Temari scroll gave him without further comment and put it away. So he noticed much too late how she looked at him in disbelief.

"Are you all right, Temari?" She crossed her arms and looked at him.

"Aren't you asking me if I want to come to the wedding with you?"

"I didn't think I had to ask you," he said, meaning the same thing. This seemed to be the wrong answer.

"Sometimes you are just so unbelievable, Shikamaru," she grumbled and turned around. Shikamaru refrained from commenting and reached for her hand instead. This seemed just as wrong. She turned to face him. Anger was the only expression on her face.

"Don't touch me, crybaby," she hissed now. "If you're such a genius, I'm sure you'll find out what the problem is."

With that she left him there. Shikamaru sighed. He had known that women were troublesome. Sure he would regret his decision right away, but Ino surely knew some advice.

* * *

"Oh, Shikamaru", there was almost a hint of compassion from Ino. "I really can't believe how stupid you are sometimes."

As usual, she was standing in the flower shop, tying up a pile of scrub. The world of flowers had never really opened up to him. He knew some names and could tell a tulip from a rose. That was also the end of his knowledge. Ino, on the other hand, not only knew the occasion for which a flower was suitable, but arranged the whole thing so appealingly that the shop was known far beyond Konoha's borders.

"What do you think I should do?"

"You ask if she wants to go to the wedding with you, of course." Ino struck a tone as if this knowledge were vital. Shikamaru, on the other hand, wondered what it made sense to ask Temari to accompany him. It was apparent for him that he would take his girlfriend with him on such an occasion. That's exactly what he said to Ino. She shook her head.

"First of all, you can't just decide for her. Temari in particular doesn't want to give up her freedom," she cut off the ribbon from the bouquet in her hand. "It's also romantic to ask a girl if she doesn't want to come to a wedding."

"Romantic? Temari is not like you."

"Every woman is romantic," she remarked, handing the bouquet to him. "Take the flowers with you and ask if she wants to come with you."

"She is leaving tonight so I can't give her flowers," protested Shikamaru.

"It's about the gesture. You still have a lot to learn." Shikamaru thought not only to see Ino's eyes rolling, but also to hear them.

"If I'm single after tonight, Ino, it's your fault alone."

"Use your brain for important things," she countered and pushed him out of the shop. "For example, to court your wife."

"She's not my wife," he threw back, looking over his shoulder.

"Not yet." The grin on Ino's face would burn into the back of his head for a long time and the words of their last conversation would echo in his head.

_Not yet._

He didn't even have the guts to admit his love to her. How should he ever formulate a marriage proposal?

Temari was disappointed and angry. She ripped her things out of the closets and stuffed them into her bag. When she was done, she would go out to eat and meet afterwards with Kankuro. He was just about to give his Genin courage while he paid them a feast.

Temari knew how proud Kankuro was of his students. He was happy to be able to pass on his jutsu. Maybe he wasn't in a bad mood when they went on the trip. When the bag was packed, she sat on the bed and looked around the sparsely equipped room.

She didn't want a big gesture, a lovely speech, or anything like that from Shikamaru.

The only thing she wanted was to be noticed. Perceived as an independent being. Shikamaru's deciding over her and not even asking her had hit her harder than she wanted to admit.  
Of course he had to mess up her last evening like this. By being completely sober and objective. Suddenly a thought spread through her.

What if Shikamaru envisioned that kind of relationship?

He as the strong man and protector who set the tone. She as the pretty but silent woman. His views were sometimes quite antiquated when it came to the division of roles between men and women, but she had always felt that she was equal.

Shikamaru hadn't taken advantage of her. He always let her formulate a thought, asked her advice, listened to her ideas and took up many of them in the work of the Shinobi Alliance. That's why his current behaviour was so completely foreign to her.

With a sigh she got up and opened the door. Shikamaru immediately caught her eye. He leant against a building. His expression was like that of a sad dog.

When she saw what he was holding, her eyes watered.

A man had never given her flowers before. Since she was not moving, he came running towards her. His hand automatically went to the back of his neck. With the other he held out the flowers to her

"I'm really not good at that," he murmured. "I want to apologize to you and ask if you want to come with me to Naruto's wedding."

"Yes," she said, and threw herself into his arms. "Very much, Shikamaru."

* * *

The next day Shikamaru showed up with a large pack of Ino's favourite chocolate and placed it on the counter in the flower shop. Ino first looked incredulous, then she smiled and finally she laughed out loud.

"So my bouquet arrived safely?"

"Yes," Shikamaru replied, hoping he didn't blush.

His apology had been so well received that Temari immediately pulled him into the apartment. There she had kissed him as she had last on her first evening in the Land of Iron. He had slipped his hands over her body, believing that she was going to hit him every moment. But she seemed to have enjoyed it, if he could believe the comforting sounds that she uttered now and then.

When his hands closed possessively around her behind, they did not leave this position for the time being. They would probably have gone on for a long time if Kankurou hadn't shown up.

They were lucky he had no key, and therefore knocked loudly on the door. Shikamaru didn't want to explain why he laid under Temari without a shirt and held on to her ass. She was completely dishevelled and stood up with a crimson head, had shortly kissed his lips and whispered "See you soon" before she was gone.

"According to your blissful grin, very good."

"Ino, thank you, but that's really none of your business."

"Woe to you, I'm not going to be invited to your wedding," she called after he fled the shop.

"You are really unbelievable, Temari.“

Kankuro teased her ever since they got up. The hickey on her neck was not visible last night, but Kankuro had commented on it directly when he discovered it this morning. She had had to listen to a lot of nagging in the evening because of her dishevelled condition. But he had stopped when she simply ignored him.

It was no longer so easy. Because every time he said something or looked at her, she turned red. Which led her brother to knock out the next remark.

She actually knew that she should be above things, but she was embarrassed that Shikamaru had given her a hickey. She would write a letter to Shikamaru when she got home. Temari still decided whether he would sound loving or accusatory.

"You should probably put on a scarf before you get back to Suna," Kankuro commented as they stopped to take a sip of water. "Or would you like to explain to Gaara what Shikamaru got you there?" She drank unwaveringly and blinked at Kankuro over her bottle.

"Gaara won't care if you don't tell him."

Kankuro giggled, which prompted her to just splash water on his face. Since they were almost in the desert, it would not only be an absolute waste but suicide to distribute such an important resource as revenge over their brother. She left it with an evil sparkle with her eyes.

“I would still tie a cloth over it. The council of our village is just waiting to present you with a marriage candidate.“

"What?!" she choked on the water. Kankuro patted her on the back helpfully.

"As soon as you disappeared from Sunagakure for the Chunin exams, the elders put a list of potential husbands on Gaara's table."

"And you're only telling me that now?" She saw Kankuro, who was now busy crossing his arms.

“Today is the first day we are alone, without curious eyes or ears. You should check out the list by times. There are even resumes and pictures. The older man from Kawa no Kuni is my favourite. ”

Temari punched her hand against Kankurou's arm as he grinned broadly at her. He might find it funny, but she got angry. At the last meeting, she thought she had made it clear that she herself had control over her life. Instead, they had only been waiting for an opportunity to stab her in the back.

"What did Gaara say about it?"

"Received the list and criticized them for not doing it in your presence."

"I hate these old geezers!" she uttered and packed her bottle away. "Let's go on." Kankuro put a hand on her forearm.

“Temari, you know we do everything in our power to be happy, right? Gaara and I would never deny you a wish. ” She exhaled heavily.

"Yes I know that. I'm also grateful for that. I still have to fight these fights alone. Otherwise these idiots don't take me seriously."

“When we get there, we can go through the CVs of the potential husbands and present three potential candidates to the Council. Then give them rest for now. ”

She rolled her eyes. "Only if we drink a lot of alcohol."

At this mild summer evening when Temari was on her way to Suna, Shikamaru was sitting in the Shogi room of his parents' house, playing a game of Shogi with himself. Since both Asuma and Shikaku could no longer serve as partners, it had become more difficult to get someone out to play.

In between, he could persuade Kakashi to play with him. When the Tsuchikage was visiting, he challenged him. Otherwise there were Naruto's half-hearted attempts to play with him. Only Sasuke had been a challenge so far. When he was in Konoha during his recovery, he had played with him very often to pass the time.

Since this option was not open, he played with himself. He wondered if Temari might be interested in learning the game. She was as strategic in thinking as he was.  
He sat smiling and looking at the flowers he had given Temari. She hadn't been able to take them with her, he had put them here.

His mother had been reluctant to enter this room since Shikaku's death and would therefore not notice the flowers immediately.

If necessary, he would come up with an excuse why Ino gave him a bouquet. As if he had called her over, he heard Yoshino's voice.

"I knew you were hiding something from me," his mother rumbled at the door and opened it. "Ino told me you have a girlfriend. The Suna girl, am I right?" She crossed her arms accusingly and glared at him from above.

Shikamaru had now been caught ice cold. His mother had grown a little milder with him since his father's death, but in between Yoshino found her old self and folded Shikamaru.

"Um, yes," he replied.

He was going to kill Ino. He had deliberately withheld his mother's information about Temari. As soon as the two women met, things could go bad for him. He also didn't know if Temari felt comfortable getting to know his mother at all. He had tried to prevent the catastrophe that was bound to break over him.

"The next time she's here she'll be invited to dinner! And woe to you hiding her from me!"

"Yes, Mum," he said resignedly.

"Very good. And find out what your favourite food is!"

"Is that really necessary?"

"You won't contradict your mother, Shikamaru! I have the right to meet my daughter-in-law."

Shikamaru didn't know what to say to that. In the past few days, it was clearly to much about weddings. If he'd bet on the next wedding, Sai and Ino would be much higher on the list. But apparently he and Temari seemed to be more interesting for everyone. He sighed briefly. He had no choice but to introduce Temari to his mother.

"I'll ask Temari when she's back next month."

Yoshino's expression suddenly softened and she pulled Shikamaru into an embrace.

"Just so you know: Shikaku really liked Temari."

Shikamaru swallowed hard when his mother left the room. There were only a few moments left when he missed his father so much that it hurt.

This was one of them.


	8. Birthday Wishes

Shikamaru turned papers from side to side in his office without realizing much of the content. His eyes flew over the paper and picked up the words, just somehow they didn't penetrate the barrier in his brain. When he saw the pointlessness of his approach, he had to smile a little. That morning a letter from Temari had reached him and the content had presented him with a dilemma that he had only experienced in rare moments in his life: helplessness.

_Hey crybaby,_

So she always greeted him like this when she wanted to be particularly funny.

_of course I'm happy about your mother's invitation. What gift would she like? I don't want your mother to think I'm rude._

Here he had grinned briefly. So Temari was nervous about meeting Yoshino. He couldn't blame her. If he had been in the position himself, he would probably have moved to Kumo and would never have shown up again. Rasa's reputation was known far beyond Suna.

_Incidentally, I noticed (actually Kankuro brought my attention to this) that it would be my birthday soon. I will leave for Konoha that day. So you can give me your birthday wishes personally._

_The last time we were in this restaurant in Konoha. I liked the food. Could we go there again?_

_See you soon_

_-Temari_

_P.S .: If you give me another hickey, then I'll make my threat from last time a reality._

It was no problem to reserve a table, which he had made on the way to work. He also came up with thousands of gift ideas for Yoshino. What bothered Shikamaru was the fact that he had forgotten Temari's birthday for the first time.

For the past few years they had always written a short letter and added a silly gift. As a result, he had a collection of various handkerchiefs in case he burst into tears, and last year he was given a Shogi stone to hang on his keys.

This year he wanted to reciprocate and give away a keychain in the form of a small fan. And he realized his gift was so ridiculous considering that they were a couple now. Shikamaru knew that she didn't need particularly romantic gestures. But she had been very happy about the flowers that he had brought her. When he got up to go to the flower shop, Shikamaru wondered if he could ever manage his relationship without consulting Ino.

"I wish you a lovely day," said Ino to the man who walked out of the shop with a huge bouquet of roses. She stroked her hair behind her ear when she noticed Shikamaru.

"Hey Shikamaru. You have been visiting me quite a bit lately," she greeted him. "Let me guess: You need help for Temari's birthday present?"

"How do you know when Temari's birthday is?" She leaned forward a little and looked at him with a smile.

"I know a lot, Shikamaru. And because you are important to me, I will help you again this time."

The smile on her face showed him that she wanted a favour for it. Ino was a kind-hearted person, but she was at least as calculating. He had known her long enough to know that she would do anything for him. But it had its price.

"Tell me what you want."

"Make sure Sai isn't on a mission his birthday."

"The Anbu are not under my control."

"You are the advisor to Hokage. You actually hold the reins of the village in your hand."

He sighed resignedly. Ino was actually right, but first of all he had to convince the Anbu captain and Kakashi, and then make Sai to understand , the reason why he had free time. Sai enjoyed working. Stopping him was like forbidding Naruto from ever eating at Ichiraku again, it was impossible.

"I see what I can do."

"Well, let's see how I can help you." Ino looked business-minded.

* * *

"In total, two teams made it," said Temari after consulting with all Jounin and Chunin, who monitored the exams in Suna with her.

"The other teams surrendered because of the climate," said Kankuro, who was not sitting at the table but leaning against a wall.

Temari didn't have to look at her brother to know what he was thinking. He didn't think the Genin teams were worthy of becoming full-fledge shinobi because they had failed in the desert. She herself had a different point of view on that.

Fortunately, she was responsible for overseeing the Chunin exams. Otherwise Kankuro would have sorted out most of the candidates immediately without mercy.

"Are there any other objections why the two teams cannot travel on to the next village?" Since no one spoke up, she declared the session over. She still had to pass the news on to all those responsible in the village and she had a few days' rest until the teams from the other villages arrived.

Temari was happy about it. After stowing all the papers, Kankuro accompanied her to Gaara's office. Because she still had to deal with the potential marriage candidates. The Council of Suna would still have to wait until the tests were over. She had no desire or time to deal with this nonsense.

* * *

Shikamaru had finally returned to his office and was no further to find a birthday gift than before. Ino had told him a lot of things that Temari would be happy about. But each of these gift ideas lacked a personal touch. He knew that Temari didn't care much about her birthday. That was precisely why he wanted to give her something unforgettable. A knock brought him out of his brooding. Naruto entered his office.

"Hey, Shikamaru. Do you want to eat something? "

"I don't have time," said Shikamaru, wondering who he was fooling.

Today would not be productive anyway. Ever since he sat down at his desk, his thoughts had only been on Temari. She's been taking a hell of a lot of space in his head lately.

He got his job done anyway, only the price was often too little sleep; in his dreams Temari followed him as well. Too often he had woken up in the morning with a desire for Temari to be ashamed of it. The last evening with her was still in his mind. The only thing that helped was a cold shower.

Naruto was about to leave when he jumped up. "Do you know what, Naruto? I come with you."

"Great, man. Then you can certainly help me find a gift for Hinata."

 _How troublesome_ , he thought. This day should finally be over.

If Naruto invited you to a meal, the natural route was to Ichiraku Ramen. Shikamaru didn't know how Naruto could stay so healthy over the years.

In and of itself, Ramen wasn't that unhealthy. Unless you only ate noodle soup. At every meal. On every day.

He hoped Hinata would have a better influence on Naruto.

As always, Naruto babbled on him with all sorts of things he already knew. A lot was about planning the wedding. In between, Sasuke's name also fell.

Shikamaru knew that Naruto wanted his best friend to be with him at his wedding. It wasn't in Shikamaru's power to force Sasuke to appear. It would also stir up more dust than necessary.

Most still believed Sasuke to be a traitor. Even he himself was not yet completely convinced that he had finally come to his senses. His actions spoke for themselves, but he preferred to be careful.

"An extra-large portion of Miso-Ramen with pork!" Naruto ordered. Shikamaru ordered the same because he didn't care today.

"Do you think Hinata likes sunflowers?" So they had returned to the subject of gifts.

"You ask me that?" Shikamaru replied. "You will marry Hinata. Maybe you ask Kiba or Shino. After all, they were together in Team 8. Or Kurenai. Even Hanabi could help you. " Naruto nodded.

"I want to give her something really great for the wedding, but I just don't know what." Shikamaru sighed.

"If you help me find a present for Temari's birthday, I'll help you with Hinata."

"That's easy," said Naruto.

"How so?" Shikamaru was seriously confused.

How could Naruto know what to give Temari? He didn't know that Temari and Naruto had ever talked more than a few words, let alone raised such private topics.

"I always thought you were the genius," laughed Naruto and grinned broadly at him.

"What do you think I should give to Temari?"

"Time with you," Naruto said, sipping his soup. "You are always busy with work and hardly see each other."

Shikamaru dropped his chopsticks in astonishment.

"I think you have a good point, Naruto," Shikamaru said, seriously puzzled. "Then let's think about how you can make Hinata happy."

* * *

Headaches were nothing new to Temari. It was easy to get dehydrated in the desert and the throbbing behind her forehead was one of those signs. However, since she had drunk more than enough, there was another reason for it. It was absolute stupidity.

At least when she looked again through the list Gaara had given her. Temari, when she first arrived in Suna, had repressed what Kankuro had said about the Council. Now that she had some air, of course she wanted to know exactly what was planned behind her back. As she slowly looked through the documents in her hand, she didn't know who she should curse more. The men who only put more obstacles in her way since her relationship status was announced, or her father.

Rasa had obviously chosen various marriage candidates for her long before his death and wanted to sell her to more than one village as a cheap pledge. The documents Gaara had unearthed, had been drawn up when she was a child. There were three marriage contracts in progress and one of them even had the signature of both parties.

This contract provided that she should marry the son of the Daiymo of the Land of Wind as soon as he turned 20. From what she read - her expression darkened even more - that seemed to be early next year.

"That bastard!" She uttered. She wanted to tear the paper into pieces and spread it in the sand with the wind.

"Well, that's how you can put it," Kankuro said dryly.

"Why did these documents only show up now?" She hissed at Gaara.

"We didn't know about it," Gaara said. "I just wondered why the Council had planned so far in advance. So I asked Baki. "

"Oh, damn it." She clenched her fist and hit the table with it. Gaara didn't even flinch. Kankuro seemed intimidated.

"You don't have to marry anyone," Kankuro tried to calm her now. "Since Gaara is now Kazekage, we can have the contract annulled."

Temari touched her head. She had long forgiven her father for what he had made of her life.

Life had never been easy for her. In horror, she thought of how she used to tremble with fear on some nights when Gaara again had no control over Shukaku. His lust for murder had been unpredictable.

She had never blamed her brother for it. Rasa had torn her family apart. Sacrificed his wife's life and left his children alone. After his death they had painstakingly put everything back together that had broken and, as a big sister, borne the burden of responsibility.

Only Rasa never seemed to care what she thought. He wanted to sacrifice her for the good of Suna. She had it in black and white in front of her.

"Unfortunately there is a clause for this," she said in a composed voice. Kankuro looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. He tore the paper from her hand and scanned the part she had pointed at.

"Shit," he cussed now. "Look at that, Gaara." Gaara looked first at the paper and then at his sister.

"We'll find a solution for that too." Then he looked at a point on her neck and pointed his finger at it. "You, Temari? What do you actually have there?"

She could hear Kankuro burst out laughing as she noticed how her face turned red.

Soon she would be the laughing stock of her village. Maybe she would kill Shikamaru after all. The Council would certainly be delighted.

* * *

All in all, it had taken Shikamaru a few days. Then not only had his short trip to Suna been approved by Kakashi and Gaara, but he had also fully furnished his newly rented apartment.

Not only would he be present on Temari's birthday, she could now stay with him anytime when she was in Konoha.

His mother's perplexed face alone had made it worth moving out. So she couldn't bother him with questions about Temari and their relationship. He'd often worked longer lately to avoid meeting Yoshino.

Shikamaru loved his mother and didn't want to hurt her. He had actually wanted to take this step for a long time, but he also didn't want to leave her alone. Which is why he had agreed to appear for dinner once a week.

Temari, on the other hand, would be happy to no longer have to spend the night in Konoha's hotel beds. When he told Ino about it, she was more than thrilled.

Even if he hadn't gotten the idea with her help, he still made sure that Sai got a day off on his birthday. Everything was put together perfectly. Like a well-planned game of Shogi.

* * *

Sand, that was one of her elements. Nevertheless she preferred to whirl it around with her tessen. Instead, she was looking for three young shinobi who had obviously got lost in the desert.

There was no other way to explain why no one had seen the Genin for almost half a day. Gaara did his best to locate them, but he couldn't monitor every grain of sand at the same time. The other teams had been safely back in Suna for a day. Of this group, three of them had qualified to move on. Kumogakure, Amegakure and Kusagakure looked good, but where were the shinobi from Kirigakure?

The hot noon sun burned her neck. Again and again she took sips from her bottle. In the meantime she had run out of all common hiding places, but nothing.

Gradually she doubted her instincts as she saw an outline in the distance. If she wasn't wrong, someone was lying in the sand. Her feet carried her alone. The closer she got to the dune, the more certain she was she had found the missing Genin.

"It's not your fault, Temari," Kankuro repeated for the third time. She stared at the wall opposite her with her arms crossed.

Since they had safely brought the Genin back to Suna, she had blamed herself. It was not the first Chunin exam in the desert. The security precautions had been spot on. Unfortunately, they didn't seem lucky.

Who could have guessed that inexperienced Genin of all would stumble into a nest with scorpions? To be on the safe side, everyone had received an ampoule with antidote and detailed instructions on the terrain beforehand.

Jounin and Chunin had been monitoring the area. Apparently, however, the Genin had been so overwhelmed with the situation that they hadn't reacted immediately in their panic. Therefore, they were all in hospital now and had to be treated for a while. Gaara was just in the process of informing the Mizukage of what had happened.

_Could she have done something different?_

She closed her eyes. It wasn't just her own failure that bothered her. She had disappointed Shikamaru. He would not accuse her. Repeatedly assuring her that there was nothing she could have done, but it was her idea to send all teams through two terrains. If the Genin hadn't been so exhausted from the long journey, they would have recognized the danger much earlier.

"Are you listening to me?" Kankuro said now.

"No," she replied truthfully.

"Let's go have a drink. There is nothing we can do here except wait. ” She opened her eyes again.

"What does it look like when I sit and drink in a bar after this disaster?" She raised her eyebrow. Kankuro understood.

"Well, we still have alcohol at home."

"Good, persuaded."

Maybe she would be brave enough to talk to Shikamaru when she drank.

* * *

His phone bell woke him and at first Shikamaru didn't know where he was. Startled, he opened his eyes. He automatically picked up the phone.

"Shikamaru here."

It was hard to find words when you were just woken up from your sleep. His tongue felt heavy. For long minutes he heard nothing but a noise.

Shikamaru was about to hang up when he answered a voice he knew too well: "It's me. Temari. "

He sat up and searched for the light. His clock showed him four o'clock in the morning. That worried him. Temari would not call in the middle of the night unless it was an emergency.

"Did something happen? Are you all right?" It followed silence.

Even if it had cost him a fortune, he had invested in a phone. It gave him the opportunity to speak to Temari and listen to her voice. To bridge a distance that separated them. He hadn't imagined her first phone call to be like this.

He could almost feel her breathing out loud.

"Did you hear what happened during the exams?"

There was the problem. At the end of her question, her voice became so low that he could barely hear it.

Shikamaru could filter out so much disappointment and shame and a shade of sadness.

"Yes," he started when she interrupted him.

"I am sorry."

"What are you sorry for, Temari?"

"I messed up everything."

Shikamaru swung the blanket aside and sat down. He clearly had to be awake for this conversation.

"Are the Genin okay?"

"Yes." Her voice sounded like she was about to cry now. Temari did not cry. Not even when she was in pain.

"Are they getting well again?"

Again she said yes. Shikamaru brushed his hair from his face. He didn't want her to sound so completely down.

"So everything is fine."

"I disappointed you," she said now.

Chunin exams had been difficult before, and she had never blamed herself for it. His head immediately gave him the right track. It was her idea to spread the Genin over three villages. So she blamed herself for it.

"Do you remember our Chunin exam?"

This question probably got her out of cover. She immediately sounded different.

"When you lost, crybaby?" She said teasingly.

"Well, that's how you can see it too, troublesome woman," he commented on her game. Now she laughed at the other end. He liked it better that way.

"But I know what you mean, Shikamaru."

"No matter what happens, you can't disappoint me. It's not your fault, Temari. If so, we are all equally to blame.”

She said something incomprehensible. He asked her to repeat the words.

"Why do you actually have a phone, Shikamaru? Didn't you always say that you don't want to bothered at home? "

"I wanted to be able to speak to you at any time," he replied. He yawned. Shikamaru hoped she hadn't heard it.

"You should go back to sleep. I've been holding you back for far too long. "

"You are the only one who can rob me of sleep."

"Sometimes you're so silly, Shikamaru." He had to smile.

"Somehow I have to endure you."

"I'm going to hang up now, crybaby."

"I miss you, Tem."

"Me too," she whispered. "Good night."

Before he could reply, he heard the line click. He also hung up and then dropped back into bed. This woman really got him down. From one second to the next she could make him feel like an absolute fool and then again like the best person in the world.

* * *

Temari didn't care much about her birthday. Especially after she had been under so much pressure the last month. She was happy to finally have done her part. The Kiri Genin had returned to their village, fully recovered, only very sad not to have progressed.

Her only ray of hope was soon to see Shikamaru again. She smiled as she thought of her phone call. He might be a practical man, but he always had the right words ready.

Only a few knew when it was her birthday and this group included Shikamaru in addition to her brothers and Baki. She didn't mind that she had to travel to Konoha on the evening of her birthday to oversee the final rounds of the Chunin exams.

So she escaped the obligatory meal that came with a home-made cake from Baki and a crooked birthday song.

Of course it still put a smile on her face when Baki was standing in front of her door with a cake that morning. After a hug and a kiss on the cheek, she asked him in and saw that Kankuro and Gaara were already sitting at the festively decorated table in the kitchen.

Also there was another person sitting at that table.

"Shikamaru?" she uttered.

Temari couldn't stop grinning dumbly. He got up and she immediately jumped around his neck. Shikamaru caught her and held her. It felt so good to be embraced by him

"How long have you been in Suna?"

"The day before yesterday," he answered her question.

"But where did you stay?"

"With me," came Baki. He smiled at her while he put the cake on the table.

"We shouldn't have bothered, Gaara," said Kankuro. "Shikamaru is more interesting."

Temari was reluctant to get out of Shikamaru's arms. She went up to her brother and kissed him on the cheek. To her delight, she noticed how the corners of his mouth rose.

"You're really going to be a cuddly kitten," grumbled Kankuro. "Happy Birthday."

"It's your job to be in a bad mood," she said. "Thank you very much, little brother." He made a contemptuous sound, but still smiled.

She hugged Gaara, who ashamed turned away and mumbled his birthday wishes. He was not a person who valued closeness. Temari was the only one who could come so close to him. And only on her birthday.

She grabbed a knife from the table and cut off a thick slice of cake.

"Hey, we haven't sung your birthday song yet!" Kankuro protested. "You can't just cut the cake like that!"

Temari bit off a piece of the cake. "As you said, it's my birthday, so I decide what happens to my cake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week we really celebrate Temari's birthday :)
> 
> Therefore Temari Week 2020 starts tomorrow. Look out for the stories I've prepared.


	9. Gift Number Two

Temari had never been so happy to finally arrive in Konoha. The trip had felt like they had been travelling for at least two weeks. The reason for this was solely Kankuro.

He had kept an eye on Shikamaru and her. He hadn't given them five minutes of privacy, but appeared at the most inappropriate moments. After only a day and a half, he had made Shikamaru stop all advances and not even look in her direction.

Since they did not travel alone, besides Gaara also a handful of Anbu, as well as various Chunin candidates and Jounin from other villages belonged to their group, she could not even reprimand him without spreading their private problems to strangers. Accordingly, she had only briefly left her things in her accommodation and disappeared without a word to him.

Kankuro had called after her, but she didn't care.

She had walked straight to the river and sat on the ground, hoping the rushing water would calm her down. She was just angry. Kankuro constantly assured her that he didn't want to stand in the way of her happiness and what did he do? Act as if he were her personal bodyguard.

She should rip his stupid puppets apart. Perhaps then he would finally come to his senses.

As she stared at the water, her anger gradually subsided. She knew that he meant well with her, only apparently she had to make it clear that really nobody had to interfere in her relationship.

It was hard enough to know that the elders in Suna were just waiting to put the next best suitable man at her side so that she could marry him. Kankuro should actually know better what he did with his actions.

In addition, the failure of the Kirigakure Genin was still in her bones. Even though Shikamaru had assured her that she was not the only one to blame, these thoughts buzzed through her head. It was her fault that she hadn't properly prepared the young shinobi.

Finally she lay on her back and stared at the sky. Some clouds drifted by. She slowly understood why Shikamaru liked to look at them.

Shikamaru hadn't had a chance to speak to Temari before she had swept away with an angry look at Kankuro. Gaara didn't seem surprised at this, just accepted Temari's behaviour. At least Kankuro seemed ashamed and apparently wanted to stop her.

A fruitless attempt, as Shikamaru thought.

He had apologized briefly and hurried straight to Kakashi's office. He found the Hokage in the presence of Shizune, who explained something to him. Kakashi not only looked terribly bored, but as usual didn't seem to feel comfortable in his official robe.

Shikamaru couldn't blame him. Tsunade had never been thrilled when it was necessary to wear the Hokage hat and coat. She had always avoided this whenever possible.

"Yo, Shikamaru."

"Good evening, Hokage-sama," Shikamaru greeted him. "The Kazekage has safely arrived in Konoha."

"I didn't expect anything less from Gaara," Kakashi replied.

"Have there been any occurrences during my absence?"

"No," Shizune replied, turning to look at him. “The other Kage have also arrived during the day. Together with the rest of the Genin. "

Shikamaru nodded and accepted the list that Shizune handed him.

"These are the names of all the Genin who made it to the finals."

He looked at the names and was surprised to find only eight teams left.

"Apparently the plan has worked out so much to reduce the teams for the final tournament that we now have a decent selection of Genin," said Kakashi. "It was Temari's idea?"

"Yes, even if the incident in Suna was not planned."

The revised concept of the exams had shown its effect.

"We have already informed the candidates that they have yet another preliminary round before they contest the finals."

Shikamaru leafed through the dossiers of all participants. Sai had thought of a task for the case. From now on, they would no longer have to treat the candidates as teams and ensure that only eight Genins remained in the end. The finals would then take place in three days. Then the most strenuous part of his and Temari's work was done. They would have a little time for themselves.

Gaara would travel back to Suna with Kankuro and return to Naruto's wedding. There was also another Shinobi Alliance meeting and his own birthday in between. Ino would certainly organize a party again, since they were both born just a day apart.

He had hoped to be able to talk to Temari at least briefly while they were out. She had been delighted with his surprise, but he hadn't missed how upset she was. She was still bothered that such an accident had happened in Suna of all places. Therefore Shikamaru hoped to be able to rebuild her confidence by the start of the final round. He needed her razor-sharp mind and judgment. She had a good eye for outstanding shinobi.

"The Gokage will discuss tomorrow how we can avoid such incidents in the future," said Shizune. "But so far everyone has agreed that no one is to blame."

"Is there anything else?"

"You are dismissed for today, Shikamaru. The trip was definitely exhausting. In addition, the Kazekage will definitely arrive here. "

"Have a nice evening," he said, and left the room.

Now he had to find Temari.

He always found her. As if an inner compass was leading him to her. Fortunately, he didn't say a word when he lay down on the grass next to her. She still wanted to hit something. He looked at her watching the clouds.

Temari listened to the chirping of the crickets. She was so angry. After a while, his hand crept up to hers and gently gripped her. So she grabbed it more firmly. She wanted to show him that he didn't have to worry. Even if he certainly did.

Temari hated how he quickly tickled her soft and weak side out.

She had grown up in Suna in the toughest conditions imaginable. There were days without food and water in scorching heat with dangerous sandstorms. Only the strongest survived.

She couldn't become so soft and loving from now on just because everyone in Konoha was so soft.

"Are you really just mad at Kankuro?" Shikamaru tried a shot in the dark. "Well, I can understand that you need a distance from him right now, but isn't your reaction a little over the top?"

She snatched her hand from him and jumped up. How she hated these stupid men sometimes! She glared at him angrily. As always, he didn't seem to care if she was angry.

"You don't understand anything at all, Shikamaru!" She snapped at him. “Do you think everything is done with a few kind words? Nothing changes in the fact that obviously everyone can determine my future and my person! Every single one tries to put obstacles in my way. "

She saw his eyes change. Temari knew that expression. He would now be able to analyse every word she said and figure it out for himself. Sometimes she hated his observant mind.

"What happened in Suna?" She crossed her arms over her chest and still glared at him angrily.

“Obviously, I was promised to the Wind Daiymo's son. There is a marriage contract that will make me his wife early next year. ”

"What?" At that, he got up and grabbed her shoulders. "You've to be kidding me, right?"

She laughed joyless. "No, I wish I would. My father tied that up in my childhood without telling me about it. He not only messed up my childhood and youth, no, I was completely sacrificed for the good of Suna. "

She heard herself how much bitterness was in her voice. Reluctantly, she let him pull her into her arms. He squeezed her so tight that she thought she couldn't breathe.

"Your father didn't deserve to be called that," he said softly with anger in his voice. "We will find a solution for this."

Sobbing, she returned his hug. "Gaara said that too."

"If we still have Kankuro in the boat, then nobody will stand in our way."

"Even if he doesn't do it for you, but Kankuro would never throw me to the Council in Suna."

Now that Shikamaru knew the real reason why Temari was so upset, he wanted to hit something himself. Once he had safely delivered her back to their quarters, he would go to training. Nothing relaxed more than throwing a few shuriken on a wooden pole, imagining it was Rasa’s face.

The few things that Temari had told about her childhood were so incomprehensible and full of cold that he understood better, which is why she rarely or never showed her feelings. His father may rarely have been at home himself, but he had never doubted his love for him. His work had been important to Konoha's good. Shikamaru had followed in his footsteps and would do the same.

But first he made a detour to the residential complex that had recently been his home. Temari had linked arms with him and didn't seem to pay attention to the way.

"Temari, I wanted to show you something, ”he finally murmured when they stood at the door. She looked up and looked around.

"Where are we?"

"Would you close your eyes for a second?"

"Are you serious?" He could hear her getting upset again. Not a good sign. He actually wanted to cheer her up.

"It's nothing bad. Only I would spoil the surprise if you see everything right away. "

She rolled her eyes. "Well. Even if I have clearly had enough surprises by now. "

She closed her eyes. After opening the door, he led her through the corridor to his door. It was a small house. Only three other parties lived here. The Nara Forest started right behind. One of the reasons why he chose this apartment. He heard her panting behind him as he pulled out the keys and unlocked his apartment. Shikamaru actuated the light switch.

"Now you can open your eyes." She blinked at the brightness and looked around.

"What exactly should I see here now?"

"This is my apartment," he replied.

She took off her shoes and entered. He did the same and followed her at a safe distance. Her first way was to the kitchen, where she immediately opened the fridge. Then she walked through the living room and went to the shoji door. She stepped out onto the porch.

He waited nervously for her judgment. Surely she would have something to complain about. After all, she was Temari. She stopped at one of the pillars that supported the roof.

"It's beautiful," she said, moved. "Since when do you live here?"

"When you called me, I was here the first night."

"So long?" She turned to him, but it wasn't an accusation, more wonder in her voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's part of my birthday present," he said sheepishly.

She detached herself from the pillar and got towards him. When she raised her hand, he winced. But she only did this to put his hand on his cheek and to breathe a kiss on his lips.

"Thank you, Shikamaru." He fiddled with his pocket and pulled out another key. From there hung the little fan he had wanted to give her.

"You can come and go at any time. If you want, you don't have to stay in any hotels when you visit here. "

"You really planned it out, right?" He nodded and then she threw herself into his arms.

"Kankuro will be so annoyed," she said. "It's the best gift I've ever received."

Mission completed.

Kankuro stood in front of her with her arms crossed and stared at her disapprovingly as she took her fan. She reached for her bag when she felt his hand on her arm.

He had had a lot of loud words for her after she said she would stay with Shikamaru. Gaara had left the apartment, shaking his head, which they shared. He knew there was no point in intervening in a dispute between Temari and Kankuro. He didn't care what Temari did as long as she was doing her job. She knew that he liked Shikamaru and was not as concerned about their relationship as Kankuro.

"How about you taking your hand off my arm?" She asked him calmly.

"What? Do you want to grab your tessen and beat me? Wouldn't be the first time and I've now got practice in avoiding you”, he remark a little too sarcastically.

"No. I'll grab your scrolls at night and burn them so you can never play with your stupid puppets again. "

He raised an eyebrow, which looked particularly silly with his face paint. "I think you'll be busy with your boyfriend and maybe groan his name."

_Splash._

He probably hadn't seen the slap in the face. He held his hand to his cheek in surprise.

"Dare to talk about me like this again, Kankuro," she said coldly. "I'm your sister and not a whore."

He exhaled deeply as she swung her bag over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Tem. I shouldn't have said that. Shouldn't we talk to each other? "

"No," she growled now. "You gave me hell the last few days. Shikamaru and I don't have much time together. You successfully messed up three days of it. "

"I'm just worried about you." His voice was soft now.

"Oh? I just thought you assumed that I would jump every guy who pays attention to me. "

"I did not mean it like that! But Temari, understand you are my sister and I don’t want you to be hurt. ”

"Then you're extremely bad at it." She turned and didn't even say goodbye to him.

Outside the door, she found Shikamaru and Gaara talking to each other.

"We can go, Shikamaru."

"Gaara suggested that there be four of us eating."

"No thanks. I don't want to see Kankuro for the next few days. "

Gaara looked at her from his black-rimmed eyes. Temari had known her brother long enough. He was worried and didn't want arguments between them. Following an impulse, she leaned over to Gaara and kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Gaara." Her little brother's cheeks instantly turned red.

"I'm Kazekage, don't you think it's a little inappropriate to kiss my cheek?"

She reached into his hair and ruffled through it. "First of all, you are my little brother. See you tomorrow."

"I wish you a nice evening."

With that he went back to the accommodation. Temari reached for Shikamaru's hand.

"I think it's time for us to see how comfortable your new sofa is."

Even without looking at him, she knew that he had a bright red head.

He could definitely get used to waking up next to Temari. In the morning she not only looked absolutely adorable, but was a lot calmer and milder than the rest of the day. She had just pulled him back into bed because it was too cold for her. Shikamaru didn't mind serving as a replacement for a heater if he was allowed to lie around a little longer for it.

Getting up in the morning wasn't one of his favorite tasks of the day. Especially not when there was work to do. He was glad that the Shinobi Alliance meetings were suspended during the exams, otherwise some gray hair would have gotten here and there. Temari finally stuck out more than the tip of her nose from under the blanket and looked at him. Her hand got lost in his open hair.

"I think it's a shame that you never wear them open," she remarked. "I like them better that way."

“Tying them up for the day is much more practical. I can also say the same about you. " He kissed her on the top of her head.

"Can't we just lie there and let everyone else do the work for the Chunin exams?"

Shikamaru had to grin. It was absolutely untypical for Temari to say that. She loved her job as much as he did.

"I have a bad influence on you. And what will Kankuro think? "

She snorted. "Should he think that we are currently producing many small miniature editions of you and me. This part of my life is really none of his business. "

Shikamaru tried to change his mind. It was hard not to imagine how Temari and he would do more than kiss and lie together in bed. Especially when her breasts were just so tight against his body. Fortunately, Temari's arm was more over his chest. Otherwise she would have nagged him again immediately.

Since they decided to take their time, he still couldn't help how his imagination wandered off to scenarios that were explicit. He didn't want to mess up their relationship because he was acting like a hormone-controlled teenager.

"Well, maybe he would prefer the later Daiymo of the Wind Country as husband and father." She groaned in annoyance.

"Do not remind me of that." She buried her face under the covers again.

Shikamaru didn't want to think that he could lose her from now on, if the contract she was talking about couldn't be canceled. He would have to be fully informed about the practices of such contracts so that he would not lose Temari. The lump in his chest grew bigger.

"I'm going to take a shower first," she said suddenly and pulled away from him.

"We could take a shower together," he said, regretting the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. She stood with her back to him and froze. The next moment she took off her shirt and threw it on his face.

"You will only cry because the water is too hot."

He had closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then the door clicked and the water was turned on. The brief look at her bare shoulders had given his head more indecent pictures. He didn't know if he could concentrate on work today.

"The Genin will be tested in pairs," said Sai, explaining the last task before the finals. “In addition to teamwork and analytical thinking, adapting to new situations within seconds is one of the most important skills that a shinobi should have. We will check both by setting a task that can only be solved by teamwork with a foreign shinobi. The solution is to get behind the question and not to solve the task. "

Morio immediately objected: “Why can't we just do battle rounds again? It's much faster and more effective than any logic task. "

“The finals are the day after tomorrow. If a Genin is injured by then, they will not be able to fully demonstrate their abilities. We have to be able to get a complete picture, ”said Omoi, leaning his head bored on his hand.

"That is nonsense. The old system worked wonderful. "

Temari clenched her fist under the table. Throughout the months of planning, Morio had repeatedly protested Shikamaru's and her innovations. Suna and Konoha have been working with the smaller, surrounding villages for years. They had accumulated more than enough expertise to finally modernize these stupid exams and make them more effective. If the tests were too easy, they ended up with useless shinobi with no ambition.

She started to answer, when Kankuro stood up. "I think you can save yourself your suggestions for improvement, Morio. For months all villages have been sitting together and planning the exams together. Konoha and Suna in particular have taken on this great task in the past. If the exams are held in Iwagakure, you are free to plan everything to your taste. ”

"Well, actually we were sitting in Kirigakure instead of here. Unfortunately, the village in the Bloody Mist has once again proven that they are useless. And Iwa had offered to take the exams, but the proposal, like everything, was denied. ”

Chojuro gritted his teeth and looked strangely grimly in Morio's direction. Shikamaru next to her touched his forehead with his hand. Kankuro was suddenly angry too.  
He thought only good about Kiri and especially Chojuro. Such an attack could not be left uncommented.

Temari had thought Shikamaru had made it clear from the start that there was no better choice to have the exams held in Konoha so soon before the exams, but Morio disagreed, as always.

Then insulting Kirigakure with a remark was the final straw. Temari wondered when Morio had become such a terrible creep. He used to be shy and thoughtful. Apparently he was only now showing his true face. Finally, Shikamaru seemed to have made a plan.

"Morio, you will immediately apologize to everyone present for your inappropriate behavior. Especially for all Chunin and Jonin who come from Kirigakure and who also ensured that nothing happened to the Genin during the tests, ”he said in an authoritarian voice. “We all have a lot of responsibility not only for our villages, but for the future of all shinobi. Therefore, we don't have time to deal with such conflicts exactly when we should actually take care of educating and shaping the future shinobi elite.”

Shikamaru's words somewhat weakened the tense mood in the room.

Morio was completely unimpressed and also stood up: "In Iwagakure, the Genin would at least not have run into a nest full of scorpions."

Her face was not immediately under control, which made Morio smile triumphantly. He still resented what had happened at the Shinobi Alliance meeting months ago, so he was just waiting for an opportunity to take advantage. There was no other way to explain such a direct attack.

Temari sat up so quickly that the chair on which she was sitting fell over. She heard someone draw a sharp breath behind her. Kankuro reached for her the same second as Shikamaru used his shadow to hold her.

If weapons were allowed during the meeting, the others would not only have jumped open, but it would have ended in a very unsightly slaughter. There may have been stronger bonds between the villages than before, but there were still many disagreements that had grown over decades and were still bubbling beneath the surface.

"Enough," said Omoi, clapping his hands on the table. “Every village did its best to make the exams run smoothly. The world is full of dangers. Each of us present knows this best. We all risked our lives in the war and lost many good shinobi. So we have to train future ninja all the better and more intensely. We lack in every corner and inquisitive students who learn from our mistakes. " Silence was the only answer.

"The best thing to do is to assign the Genin to her examiners," Sai took the floor again and passed on a list.

Temari closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If Morio's body float in the river at the end of the day, she was surely not the only suspect.

Shikamaru stood in Kakashi's office after the final round's result and told him the names of the remaining Genin. All five hidden villages had at least one Genin in the final. Two came from Suna and Konoha, and one from Kusagakure.

The exams had never cost him so much nerve. It was as if everything was coming out of his hands that he had built up so laboriously over the years. Taking responsibility was not only exhausting and annoying, but above all draining.

"I found out from Sai that the Iwagakure envoy was causing us trouble," remarked Kakashi as he looked at the Genin dossier. "Should I speak to the Tsuchikage?"

Shikamaru shook his head. He would meet him anyway in his parents' house to play a game of Shogi. Tradition had crept in over the years after the Tsuchikage learned that he needed a Shogi partner. In a relaxed atmosphere, he could certainly handle this alone.

Yoshino was visiting relatives and wouldn't be able to ask him about his private life. Then he would catch up with Temari for her birthday dinner. If she was in the mood at all.

After the meeting, she ran straight to the exam room. He had left a note in the apartment where she could be found should she be looking for him. She just needed time to calm down.

As usual, they took their place on the veranda in front of the Shogi board. Shikamaru had not only prepared the stones, but also provided the Tsuchikage's favorite tea. They often only played a round or two and then talked about village affairs.

As a result, Shikamaru had already been able to draw up some contracts that brought Iwa and Konoha closer together. It was especially important in such times of peace to ensure that the ties between the Shinobi of all villages were closely linked. You never knew when the next catastrophe would come.

"Next year Kurotsuchi will be named my successor," said the Tsuchikage, whereupon Shikamaru nodded.

This news was not new to him. That was one of the reasons why Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi no longer regularly attended the Shinobi Alliance meetings. She had given him the good news herself. Such a change had to be prepared thoroughly. This had also given them Morio.

Today he had the urge to sit in the next corner with a bottle of sake and get drunk, but he rarely or almost never drank alcohol. Shikamaru knew exactly why Morio had started a fight. On the surface, it was about Iwagakure feeling disadvantaged, which was not the reality. He himself had ensured equality within the Shinobi Alliance. No, the reason was in him and Temari.

* * *

_The meeting was finally over and Shikamaru was able to talk to all the envoys without any obligations. Morio was only the second time in the Land of Iron and this time alone. He was very shy, but then thawed after a few rounds of sake. Shikamaru himself held on to water._

_Which was better, because at some point the men started talking about women. Drunken men who talked about women were on his list of annoying things right next to troublesome women’s stuff._

_"Hey, tell me Morio, what kind of women are you in?" roared Chojuro's representative named Keizuke._

_Omoi rolled his eyes. He didn't care as much as Shikamaru about which women colleagues fantasized . But it was still harmless compared to other evenings._

_"Oh, don't make a face, Omoi," said Kusagakure's deputy Nobu. "In Kumogakure you are blessed with pretty, well-rounded women. What's the Raikage's blonde assistant's name?" To make his words clear, he made a sweeping movement in front of his chest._

_"It's not a sign of a good character to talk about women this way," Omoi replied, taking another sip of his beer. "I don't know if your mother taught you that."_

_Since the mood was already heated enough, this statement naturally led to a loud roar and other suggestive remarks._

_"Come on, Morio!"_

_"So Temari already has the right curves," he answered quietly._

_"Uuuuh, someone fell in love with the little Suna princess," said Akeno, the Amegakure ambassador._

_"Shikamaru has already seen everything there. The two are inseparable, ”said Keizuke. "What are Temari's tits like?"_

_Shikamaru dropped his glass a little louder than intended._

_"If you continue to talk about one of our colleagues like this, I will have to report to your superiors," he said serious. "And you should be glad that Temari is not there. She'd beat you up with her fan. "_

_"Oh oh. Someone is jealous, ”Nobu remarked. "You probably don't like when someone else is looking at your girlfriend."_

_"Temari is Shikamaru's girlfriend?" Morio asked around._

_"No," Omoi interjected. "Suna and Konoha have only worked together for ages."_

_Shikamaru was grateful for this throw-in and wanted to leave. He clearly had enough of it._

_"Now he's going to snuggle up to Temari's breasts." Akeno grinned until Shikamaru used his Kagemane no Jutsu and a shadow hand wrapped around his neck._

_"This is my last warning, Akeno. I have no desire for such conversations and especially not when it comes to people who hold important positions within the Shinobi Alliance. And particulary not when it comes to women. "_

_"I'm sorry, man."_

_"I hope you are."_

_He threw a few ryo on the counter and left the bar._

* * *

"This Morio likes you," Kankuro said when Temari, Gaara and he had their debriefing for the exams. "The way he looked at you, he seems to resent you for being with Shikamaru."

She let an annoyed tone rise up her throat. Slowly, it was enough for her to constantly face the egos of some men. It was exhausting and got worse instead of better every year. She had long thought to be beyond the point of staking out her territory. But the way was longer than expected.

"I can't judge what Kankuro says," said Gaara, crossing his arms in front of his torso as always. “However, it sounds like Iwagakure feels disadvantaged. Is it necessary to discuss this with the other Kage, Temari? "

"I think we'll find out in the next Shinobi Alliance meeting." Gaara nodded to her.

At least her brothers trusted her skills, as well as Konoha. In fact, she had received approval and praise from everywhere. The smaller disputes could be resolved. But such an attack on her as a person and Suna in general still depressed her mood. She would vent to Shikamaru afterwards.

"If you don't mind, I'd call it a day."

"Go and rest, Temari. Thank you for your work. " She left the living room. Kankuro followed her at once.

"Can we have a little talk alone, Tem? I wanted to apologize."

"You don't have to apologize, Kankuro. I'm just asking you to turn on your brain. "

"Shall we go for a drink tonight?"

"I can't because I'm going to eat."

"With Morio?" He teased.

"If I could poison his food, I would accept such an invitation."

Kankuro gave a short laugh. "Greetings to Shikamaru. He shifted quickly earlier. He knows you really well. "

"Do you think I would choose a fool?"

Onoki sat straight down with a clear crack in his back and looked at the Shogi board with a frown. He mentally went through the last game he had lost. Shikamaru already knew this peculiarity of the Tsuchikage. They had a balance of victories and losses, which the head of Iwagakure had once remarked appreciatively.

"You knew on the third move that I would lose, boy," Onoki sighed and drank from his teacup. "I think age has its drawbacks sometimes."

Shikamaru smiled. "I can still learn a lot, Tsuchikage-sama."

"You only say that so I don't feel bad and like a relict from other times." With a laugh he lifted the silver general up. "You have a preference for using this stone. This is not the first time I notice it. "

"My teacher and father taught me how important it is to protect the king and that it is helpful to sacrifice the Silver General." Onoki nodded.

"So you found out who the king is?"

"Our children are the king. The future of the Shinobi world. "

“Konoha is good to rely on your skills. I am sure that you would make a great Hokage. "

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "I like the position of consultant better. Naruto later needs someone by his side who can weigh up the important decisions against each other. ”

"Oh yes, Naruto." He sighed barely audibly. "Next time there are problems with Morio, let me know, Shikamaru. I have learned that the younger generation is well advised to take care of their own issues, but my word is still heard. ”

"Thank you, Tsuchikage."

The Tsuchikage sank again into a pleasant silence. Shikamaru looked at the sky that was slowly changing colour. Then he heard soft footsteps. When he turned around he saw Temari approaching them.

"Good evening, Tsuchikage, Shikamaru." She bowed briefly.

Onoki smiled kindly at Temari. Shikamaru knew he was big on Temari, and not just because she was Gaara's sister. They had fought together in the war and survived. Something like that welded together.

“Now I get a visit from an equally talented kunoichi. Whether my old heart can take it. "

The Tsuchikage got up and grabbed Temari's hand. She bowed her head when he pressed it.

"Please stay seated, Tsuchikage-sama."

"It's getting late. You young people are sure to have other things to do, ”he held an arm behind his back and bowed,“ I also don't want to stand between two lovers. ”

Temari's cheeks went red immediately. Onoki's smile widened.

"An old man saw a lot in life," he said as he stepped through the gate onto the street. "I trust that you shape our future to the best of our knowledge."

Shikamaru watched the Tsuchikage for a while, as did Temari. Then he packed up the game board. It was good to play a good round of shogi in between.


	10. Final Round

The battle arena was slowly filling up with spectators. As ants returned to their burrows, shinobi flocked to their places from all villages to admire the future elite of the shinobi world and placed bets. The noise level slowly increased. The sounds buzzed like a swarm of bees and vibrated on her skin. Temari was in the same place as when she was waiting to fight Shikamaru.

When she thought back on how annoyed she was by his attitude, she couldn't help but smile. How far they had come. Her lives were so closely interwoven that she believed it had always been that way.

"A nice day, isn't Temari?" She turned and the smile froze on her lips.

_Morio._

She couldn't even have a day's rest of him. Inevitably, she couldn't escape him at the meetings. But he seemed to be chasing her.

When she went to a tea house, he was already there or entered after her a short time later. In the morning, when she bought the sweet, fresh strawberries at the market, he happened to be waiting on a street corner. After he happened to visit her in the Hokage tower yesterday, she was about to take him up to the roof and push him down from there.

She was sure all of Konoha would give her an alibi.

"You look sad," said Morio.

"I'm melancholic," she replied shortly and immediately regretted saying anything.

He was just annoying her. She didn't want to see him any longer than necessary. It was bad enough that she would soon have to see him again at the Shinobi Alliance. Especially since Kankuro had made her aware of how Morio was watching her, she'd noticed that he was obviously into her.

Shikamaru had told her embarrassed that Morio had said something like this months ago. At first her impulse had been to start a fight with Shikamaru. Then she wanted to beat up Morio. In the end, she hadn't done any of that, just decided to leave him alone and ignore if possible. At some point he would understand that she had no interest in him.

_Hopefully._

"Your own Chunin exams?" She nodded and returned her attention to the empty battle area below.

Today you would see some exciting fights. High bets were placed, especially on the fight between Supai Aburame and Nakamura Takamoto. It was like an echo of the fight between Shino and Kankuro, which had not officially taken place at the time.

She was still smiling at how Kankuro had been tricked by beetles. Years later he complained. Perhaps it was time to bring it up again today.

She heard a sigh behind her. "You, Temari?"

"What is it, Morio?" In her voice she could make out the hint of annoyance that she mostly tried not to let hang out in the Shinobi Alliance. Most people responded directly with a verbal attack.

"I have to apologize to you for commenting on Sunagakure. It wasn't right to say something like that."

That was the understatement of the year. He had deliberately attacked her. He had planned it. Just pushing it in his face now wouldn't make it any better.

"Many of us like to say words that we wouldn't have said otherwise, especially when it comes to emotional issues," she said. "So we just pretend it didn't happen."

"Thank you, Tem." His voice sounded closer now than before. He had sneaked closer to her. She felt him grasp her forearm with his hand.

"Don't call me that," she hissed, turning around. "And above all, don't touch me!" She wanted to stay calm and behave like a grown up. Now he had really managed to get her out of her skin.

 _Great, Temari_ , she congratulated herself.

At least he let go of her arm after she glared at him.

"I thought it was okay," he said sheepishly. "Everyone calls you that."

"My brothers and Shikamaru. Otherwise nobody has the right to do so."

Why he had to put her on the edge so much was not clear to her. He probably wanted to test her limits. With every minute he faced her, she grew angrier. She felt her shoulders tighten.

"Oh, here you are," came a voice from the side. Chojuro stood at one of the entrances.

"Oh, hey, Chojuro. We'll be there immediately."

"We need you now, Morio. After all, you're the judge."

Instead of an answer, he stormed past Chojuro. Temari took a deep breath and let the tension drop.

"Are you all right, Temari?" Chojuro looked at her worriedly through his glasses.

"Nothing that can't be solved," she said as she ran towards him.

"If you want, I can talk to him," he offered.

"Thank you, Chojuro, but I think I'll manage it on my own." She stepped on the stairs in front of him. "Are you coming?"

In order to ensure the fairest possible fight, they would alternately supervise the combat rounds. So Shikamaru could rest the next two and sit at least one next to Temari.

The first fight was the one they both had been waiting for the most. They had been betting on the best Genin in their village for years. So far, Temari has been ahead with a win of three to two. It was not only about which Genin rose a level in a shinobi's ranking, but also how he generally behaved in the tests. For this they had thought of a system after the first joint examination.

In the meantime, Chojuro and Omoi had also joined the game. Kurotsuchi had betted with enthusiasm before Morio took her place. So far, however, no one had invited him to bet with them. Most recently, Morio had done more harm than good with his behaviour.

As much as Shikamaru wished it was different, but he couldn't force anyone to like Morio. He saw the shinobi from Iwagakure go to the battlefield and began to wonder where Chojuro and Temari were. Lee was with the Genin and gave final instructions.

"Don't worry we're there," Temari grumbled.

It was less than half an hour since he last saw her, and there was nothing left of her previously euphoric tension. He quickly gave Chojuro a questioning look, but he shrugged.

"Let it go, Shikamaru," she snapped now. "The match is about to start."

He resisted the impulse to reach for her hand. She was now like a bomb whose fuse was already burning. In all likelihood, she would throw him over the parapet and yell, what would not put a good spotlight on her.

"Do you think your little puppeteer has a chance?" he finally challenged her.

"Anyone can tame a few beetles. You need skill for puppets." There was immediately that mischievous grin on her lips.

"Typical, Suna," said Omoi. "As if only you had excellent shinobi."

"There are two Genin from us in the final round," she responded. "Maybe Kumogakure will have more talent next time." Omoi, who now knew Temari well enough, laughed.

"Konoha also has two," said Chojuro.

"Again she will only say that we were lucky," said Shikamaru. Now they all laughed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the final round of this year's Chunin exams," said Kakashi's voice.

"So it begins" whispered Temari.

* * *

She left a smiling Shikamaru behind and floated down on her tessen. Kankuro's student had done well, but the boy from the Aburame clan had confused him with two beetle clones so much that his puppet became immobile. As a result, he had to rely on his taijutsu skills. This was already Kankuro's weak point and Temari just shook his head, when Nakamura went down with a targeted blow.

Now the fight between Kusa and Kiri was on. The two girls looked determined to win. As part of the preliminary rounds, Temari had spoken in favour of Saki from Kusagakure. She had the most potential out of all participants. Since Shikamaru had the same opinion, they had only made a bet about whether she would make it to the final round. She said yes, while he thought she would get knocked out in the second round.

"For a fair fight. As always, everything is allowed. You can move freely as long as you don't leave the arena. Get ready."

She raised her arm and dropped it. "Fight!"

With a practised eye, Shikamaru watched Aoi make the hand signals for a wall of fog to hide in it. Most Kirigakure shinobi mastered this jutsu because it was water-based. But apparently her opponent had expected it. She closed her eyes and parried every shuriken attack by blindly dodging or hitting with a kunai. Her movements were quick and controlled.

He had read in her dossier that she had a special jutsu that strengthened her senses. While Kiba, as a member of the Inuzuka clan, was able to influence his sense of smell, Saki was able to freely determine which sense she addressed. Apparently she was using her hearing, maybe her perception through the skin was also increased.

He leaned forward excitedly while Chojuro crossed his arms next to him.

"That looks bad for you," remarked Morio.

"She had mastered her jutsu perfectly," said Omoi admiringly.

It was only two more minutes before Saki won the round because the girl from Kiri was held a kunai by the throat, raised her hand and gave up.

"The winner is Saki," announced Temari.

Shikamaru saw her smile now. Not because the fight made her happy, but because she was on her way to winning a bet.

The next round was over quickly because the Suna Genin had no chance against the Iwagakure candidate's earth jutsu. Temari could not see Shikamaru's triumphant face. With that, both Genins from Suna were out. Kankuro would definitely want to get drunk afterwards because they were part of his team.

She couldn't resent him. She also needed a strong drink, because she remembered what she had bet with Shikamaru.

They had been fooling around sometime in the evening. His eyes widened as they discussed possible bets. She was still putting her overconfidence on the alcohol. He must have noticed what she was thinking of, probably she had turned bright red.

Shikamaru leaned close to her ear and whispered "I'll give you time to pay your bet." To her regret, a very unladylike sound escaped her.

"Can't you pull yourself together at least once," Morio remarked annoyed. "We are in the middle of the exams and you have nothing better to do than to fool around."

"Leave them alone, Morio," said Omoi, watching the Konoha versus Kumo fight with interest. "You don't eavesdrop into private conversations."  
We are here as representatives of our villages. It is not appropriate for us to behave wrongly."

Temari started to say something, but Shikamaru grabbed her hand, leaned down and kissed her. She heard Morio gasp for breath. Shikamaru then sat next to her and held on to her hand.

"I hope you enjoyed the show," Shikamaru said casually.

Omoi, who hadn't noticed the whole interlude, grinned, just like Temari.

Apparently this had really left Morio speechless. He stubbornly looked down, jaw clenched tightly.

Today was really not an easy day for Morio. First his Genin lost the first round of fighting, then he had to watch Shikamaru kiss her. She almost felt sorry for him.

* * *

After the first laps there was a break of half an hour. Kumogakure's Genin just barely managed to win. Temari took care to see if everyone was treated by the medic-ninja, while Shikamaru sat down with the other referees and colleagues from the other villages to discuss the results so far.

He would hold back for now. Morio has been tense to the brim since he provoked him.

Of course, his reaction had been absolutely stupid. Shikamaru had acted like he was defending and marking his property. Sure, after that Temari had grinned, which had always been worth it, he hadn't considered that he would still have to work with Morio. He was simply irrational in Temari's presence.

"Do you already have a Genin who has made a name for himself? Then I ask each of you to write up to three candidates on a piece of paper and put them in this box," asked Shikamaru. All followed this request except for Morio.

_This guy is more troublesome than Ino, Temari and my mother combined._

"Your note is still missing, Morio."

"After the candidate of Kirigakure is out, I don't find anyone worthy of it."

Silence followed this statement.

"We're looking at all the candidates, Morio," said Iruka, who was standing next to Genma.

"Any Shinobi who made it to the finals will be considered," added Lee.

Temari used this moment to sneak into the room. "The Genin have all been given medical care and are ready for the next round." She frowned, of course, when she saw Morio seeming to challenge everyone again with his tension.

"Something happened?" she asked as neutrally as possible.

Shikamaru still saw her clench her fist for seconds. This day got everyone down and once again it was Morio's fault.

"Well, what should have happened, except that Sunagakure is apparently unable to recognize good Shinobi and has something against Kirigakure."

"What do you want to tell us, Morio?" Omoi asked before Temari or Chojuro had a chance to answer. Shikamaru admired how Omoi could stay so calm. He had had enough of Morio himself. He also suspected that Temaris bad mood was related to him earlier.

"Well, first Suna loses a team from Kiri and they happen to run into a nest full of scorpions. Then she lets Kirigakure drop out in the final round. Very suspicious the whole thing."

Shikamaru wanted to say something, but this time Lee got ahead of him.

"Temari and Shikamaru have been leading the Chunin exams for years. I myself have taken my exam among them. They have never exposed the Genin to unnecessary dangers or treated her unfairly. That is why I find your accuses not only unwarranted but inappropriate."

He had never felt so thankful for Lee's words. He would definitely thank him later if they ever get out of here.

"We still need your choice, Temari. Write up to three candidates on a piece of paper and put it in this box. Then we should go back to the Genin and start the next round."

The other rounds went by without major events and Temari had never been so happy that the exams were soon over. In the past, she enjoyed watching exams and thinking about tasks. Instead, she couldn't wait to not only get rid of Morio, but go to the next bar afterwards and get drunk with Kankuro.

Shikamaru had been watching her all day with a conspicuously frown. His sudden kiss earlier had caught her by surprise, but raised her mood a little. That hadn't calmed Morio, but she didn't care now. She was not responsible for his cracked ego or feelings. She was sorry he wanted more from her than friendship, but she just couldn't give it to him.

The final round was fought between Makoto from Iwagakure and Kusagakure's Saki. Shikamaru was ready to intervene directly in the arena. He had his arms crossed and was standing outside the battle ring.

She could make out its outline in the shadow of the entrance. It was incredible how young he looked. She had never noticed it before, but now when she saw him compared to the Genin, he could easily pass himself as one.

A grin crept across her face, then she focused on the fight again.

Both Genin fared well. The Kusagakure girl seemed to be considering how to start the fight. She watched every step of her opponent and started at the weak points.

The Iwagakure boy didn't have that kind of tactical skill, but he made up for it with a variety of element-based jutsu. He was spitting a sticky liquid on the floor, which Temari identified as a syrup trap based on the water element. With that, the girl seemed to have fallen into the trap. Makoto suddenly pulled out a kunai and jumped towards her.

Temari had already jumped from her vantage point when she saw the lust for murder in his eyes. She heard someone else behind her. Still, it was Shikamaru who jumped in between.

The kunai bored into his side and he slumped.

Injuries didn't bother him. At least not when he was alone and weren't looked at with fearful eyes. Chojuro stopped Temari just barely to beat up the Genin, who had prepared the poison coated kunai. After Lee quickly brought Saki to safety, Morio took care of Makoto and Omoi got to Sakura with great haste, he was actually fine.

The poison on the blade made him feel weird. Temari had calmed down so much that she knelt beside him and held his hand. He kept saying that he wasn't going to die, but only after Sakura said the same thing did she stop crushing his hand.

Sakura was just cleaning the wound with disinfectant. She was not very squeamish about it, which he commented on in between with sharp inhalation. The anaesthetic did not work one hundred percent. Finally, Sakura laid out needles and medical threads.

"I cleaned the wound and stopped the bleeding. It is not too deep, the cut is mainly along the skin, but you still have to rest for a week and, above all, don't train or lift anything heavy."

He nodded briefly. Temari's eyes were still worried. He didn't know her that way and he knew there was nothing he could do to calm her down. He probably wouldn't react any differently if Temari happened the same. The whole day was an absolute disaster.

He was happy when he was home. He wasn't needed for the final meeting. The Hokage had inquired shortly about his condition and then got together with the other Kage.

The feeling of the needle pulling the thread through his skin was not pleasant, but it was endurable. In any case, he still had to speak to the Tsuchikage. Otherwise, Morio would soon see to it that the Shinobi Alliance broke up. That was the last thing he wanted.

"Are you sure I shouldn't stay?" Temari didn't want to leave him alone. She had seen the wound and was afraid he would be careless if she wasn't there. His eyes were tired.

"Go eat with your brothers, Tem. I'll fall asleep right away and if you come back later we can watch a movie together if you like." He yawned. "After all, you'll be here for quite a while and won't be seeing Gaara and Kankuro. So have a nice evening."

She nodded to him. He was absolutely right. The shock about his injury still gave her chills.

When she was wounded herself, it didn't hurt as much as watching her loved ones hurt. She leaned down to him and gave him a decent kiss. He smiled and closed his eyes.

Kankuro was already waiting in the Green Beast. Chojuro, Kurotsuchi, Omoi and Lee sat next to him. When she sat down, he pushed her a glass of gin and tonic. She greeted everyone and took a long swig.

"How's Shikamaru doing?" asked Kankuro.

"He's sleeping," she replied, halfway emptying her glass. "The wound is not deep and the poison was neither unknown nor life-threatening." The surrounding people nodded.

Kurotsuchi seemed particularly ashamed, after all, the genin was from her village. "I will also personally apologize to him. I am really sorry for what happened. Also with Morio."

Temari waved a hand.

"Shikamaru wanted to speak to the Tsuchikage when possible," said Temari.

"It is not necessary," said Chojuro.

"How so?"

"The Genin will be excluded from the Chunin exams for the next three years, it was decided earlier. Morio has also been reprimanded for his behavior," said Omoi.

"Good," Lee said, sipping his beer.

Kankuro has been watching her all the time since she stepped into the bar. Knowing her brother, Temari knew how to interpret his expression. He obviously had information he wanted to share with her. With a slow nod, she indicated that she had understood.

The evening was generally relatively calm and when Gaara, Naruto and Sakura joined them, Temari felt comfortable for the first time in the day. She was among friends.

* * *

Shikamaru was awakened by a gentle hand on his face. It was a while before he was in the here and now. He held Temari until he was sure not to dream.

"Better?"

"Yes," he said with a dry throat.

"I brought Kankuro and Gaara with me." He broke away from his girlfriend and frowned. Apparently she hadn't drunk as much as she had planned. Her cheeks were slightly red, but she articulated herself clearly.

"Has something happened?"

"No, but Kankuro saw something he wanted to tell us about."

"OK." He ran a hand through his face to chase away sleep. "I'll go to the bathroom for a second, then I'll come."

His wound was throbbing now and the pain was moving from the side to his left leg. He rummaged for the painkillers in his closet in the bathroom. After throwing one in and holding his head under the tap, he still felt miserable, but not as thirsty any more. The pain made him move slower than usual, which led Temari to meet him.

"You do not have to worry."

"I'll worry when I want to."

He had never believed his father before that troublesome women like Temari have a gentle side. Now, however, he believed him immediately. She was suddenly replaced. He knew this was not a permanent condition, but he enjoyed the change.

In fact, her brothers were sitting in his living room.

“Evening. Sorry for taking so long."

"You don't have to apologize," Gaara said in his soft voice. "After all, you were wounded today."

He sat down in his armchair and took a short breath as the pain went through him.

"We won't stay long either," said Kankuro. "Only I observed something earlier and since the other Kage could not confirm this information from anyone else, it was not included."

Temari was behind Shikamaru, which is why he couldn't see her expression.

_Did she have any idea what it was about?_

"The Hokage had a sympathetic ear for us," added Gaara.

"Well, that doesn't help us if the rest of the Kage say nothing about pursuing it." Gaara nodded to his brother.

"What have you seen now, Kankuro?" Temari was apparently out of patience.

"I'm the only one who saw it, but the Iwa Genin only acted on the signal. He started running immediately, but it wasn't until Shikamaru intervened that he accelerated his pace. Then he got the kunai and intentionally stabbed Shikamaru. Morio was the only one left behind and he didn't appear to be dismayed or shocked. " He turned to Shikamaru, "Why didn't you use your jutsu?"

He raised and clasped his hands in his thinking pose. "I can react in a fraction of a second, but first the lighting conditions were not ideal and it was quicker to jump in between."

Kankuro nodded as if satisfied with the explanation. Shikamaru knew that Kankuro was watching him privately with careful eyes, after all he was his sister's boyfriend, but he trusted his wit and skill. When it came to work, he didn't even have to wait for Suna's official written confirmation.

"I probably have more troubling news," said Gaara. All eyes were on the Kazekage.

"We found that both the Kiri and Iwa Genin were found unconscious and tied up."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Temari's voice was so loud it hurt his ears.

"Iwagakure became aware of the fact that her Genin was definitely not in control of the water element. However, this was only communicated to us afterwards. The girl from Kirigakure can only remember how she left the accommodation this morning before she passed out." Temari cracked her knuckles.

Suddenly Shikamaru felt sick.

_Was it a targeted attack?_

Gaara continued: "What I'm saying now is just guesswork. The plan was to produce a wall of fog that would make it impossible to see what was going on at the battle field. Because either Temari or Shikamaru should oversee them, the attack appears to be against both of you. "

Shikamaru sighed.

"Does it hurt?" Temari put a hand on his shoulder.

"No, but obviously Morio isn't just jealous."

"I will go to the Shinobi Alliance next week. You will stay in Konoha, Temari," said Kankuro firmly.

"Do you think you can order me around?"

"No, but someone should be here and keep an eye on suspicious behaviour in Konoha. Besides, your shadow boy will certainly not travel to the Land of Iron while he is still injured. Sai will go for Shikamaru. All of this is approved by the Hokage."

Shikamaru simply ignored Kankuro's swipe. He started to rethink all the options.

"What did the Kage say to the Genin who were exchanged?"

"Each village will now investigate what has happened. Since Nukenin are currently on the move in Kirigakure, the Mizukage is particularly concerned. At the moment, all of the joint work is based on mutual trust. The Kage are vigilant but not yet particularly alarmed. An official statement has been issued so that the public does not immediately notice inconsistencies. "

Kankuro and Gaara finally got up.

"Rest, Shikamaru," said Gaara. "See you at Naruto's wedding."

"Take care of Temari."

He raised his hand to say goodbye. Shikamaru was suddenly so exhausted and not because he was injured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We already reached chapter 10. Thanks for all the kudos, bookmarks, subscriptions and comments! :)
> 
> Anyone a clue what Morio ist planning?


	11. Cloud Nine

He had sent Sai to Tetsu no Kuni with detailed instructions, trusting that he would work with Kankuro as inconspicuously as possible to convince Morio. Whatever was going on, Shikamaru would figure out why both he and Temari were targeted. Since he had rarely as much free time, he used his time mainly to stare into the clouds on the piece of meadow - Temari calls it a garden - that belonged to his apartment.

At least if Ino didn't bother him and used him to plan Naruto's and Hinata's wedding. In addition, she constantly bothered him with questions about their birthday party together. She had invited all of their friends to a bar to celebrate her 20th birthday. She wasn't interested in the fact that Shikamaru didn't feel like celebrating, as she usually did. So he listened to her half-heartedly while she was sitting on his sofa, coming up with one idea after another.

"I thought we should hold the motto Black and White all evening. Everyone dresses up and we celebrate from your birthday into mine."

He nodded absently and hoped Temari would save him soon. Since he shouldn't do anything that could open his wound again, he lay almost all day. Temari had agreed to support Kakashi in his place. Since Kakashi could not miss such an oppurtunitly, he kept her very busy during the day. Shikamaru had already warned her, but she laughed and waved away and told him that she knew the tricks of Gaara and Kankuro and was therefore well prepared.

"Are you listening to me at all, Shikamaru?"

_Crap, she noticed._

"I'm sorry, Ino. I know how important this party is to you, but you should know by now that I would like to spend my birthday differently." Ino looked at him sternly.

"If you had listened to me at least once in the past few days, you might have noticed that the party doesn't start until eight in the evening."

That didn't sound so bad. He only had to sacrifice for a few hours and could disappear with Temari shortly after midnight. That really cheered him up.

"Well then, things are different. I hope you didn't plan for us to sing karaoke."

The grin she put on now proved the opposite.

Temari was in the Hokage's office listening to what Sai had to say about the Shinobi Union. In her hand was a scroll with a message from Kankuro that he had sent her.

The meeting seemed tense, but Kurotsuchi had managed to smooth the waves. She had come with Morio and forced him to apologize to everyone in attendance. After that, everyone had returned to the usual agenda. The news didn't calm Temari down. Because at the same time the activities of the Nukenin in Kirigakure seemed to intensify. The Mizukage had officially asked for help.

"Should I go to Kirigakure, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi shook his head. "I've already sent out a few Shinobi. You are free to recover from your mission for now, Sai."

Temari saw an amused twinkle in Kakashi's eyes.

"I wish you a lot of fun at the birthday party tomorrow. You can go home for today."

Since Sai and she had to walk much of the way together, they tacitly walked side by side. Up until now, they had rarely had anything to do with each other privately, which prompted Temari to have a conversation.

She knew that Shikamaru was very fond of him. So she wanted to try to get to know him a little better.

"And did you get Ino a nice present?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Are you going to tell me what you bought her?" She smiled at him.

"Um, I'd rather like you don't dig any further."

Then she was a little surprised. But she didn't keep asking. If Sai didn't want to tell her, it was perfectly fine.

"What about you? Did you think about something nice for Shikamaru?"

She nodded, her chest swollen with pride. She had gone through so many options and finally she had come up with the perfect gift. So that no one else came up with the same idea, Ino had tried to talk her friends out of similar ideas.

She could count on Ino doing the job with flying colors.

"He'll get me a new Shogiboard," she replied.

"Shikamaru will be happy about that." Sai smiled at her. It was a nice, sincere smile. "He can be glad that he has you."

* * *

The next day he woke up with the smell of fried fish in his nose. His hand searched for Temari on the side, but after realizing that he was alone, he opened his eyes in frustration. The dream he had just had was a lot nicer. Now that he was awake, he could get up. He would take a shower first and then see why his apartment smelled like a fish market.

With groping steps he crossed the corridor from his bathroom to the kitchen. The kitchen was basically not a separate room, but only separated from the living room by half walls. A generous serving hatch served as a table for up to four people. The smell of fish grew stronger. He also noticed the smell of fresh, buttery rice and steamed vegetables. Temari was turning something in the pan. Suddenly he had an idea.

He made hand signs and let his shadow slide along her.

His shadowy hands were perfect for teasing her a little. After working his way up her waist to her arm, he tightened the grip of the shadows. After she had just absentmindedly stroked where his shadows tickled her, he noticed how she now turned red in embarrassment.

He had hoped for that reaction. Even if she was otherwise brisk and angry, his touch triggered something else in her. He had never used his shadows before. He noted the reaction for later. It would be useful to him someday.

"I see. You may have aged, but you have not matured."

He only released her from his grip when he stood next to her and pulled her tightly to him. His mouth was hungry for hers. Only when he heard her heart got out of step, he let go of her.

"Congratulations," she whispered to his ear, swinging her arms around his neck. "Food will be ready in a moment. Sit down."

* * *

She hadn't wanted him to stop kissing her. Her knees weakened as he pressed closer to her and intensified the kiss again and again. Her hand reached into his open hair and pulled him closer.

She would have loved to have simply let breakfast be breakfast and sat down with him on the sofa to snuggle around wildly there. She wanted to be close to him, to get lost in him. It was never enough. The tingling that it caused in her was simply indescribable. His scent of shaving soap mixed with his very own smell made her forget everything else.

Therefore, she took a lot of time to prepare the food. Only when she was sure not to lose her composure when he looked at her did she turn around and put rice, fish and vegetables on the table.

He still had a close eye on her and smiled to himself. How she loved his sly smile. He immediately digged into the food while she sat next to him.

"Thank you, Temari. You shouldn't have made me breakfast. I would have invited you too."

"Don't be silly, Shikamaru," she replied, shoveling rice on her plate. "You don't always have to invite me."

"And what else have you planned?"

"Nothing. You decide. After all, it is your birthday today. I specially instructed Ino not to let the party begin before eight in the evening."

"So you teamed up with her to save me?"

"You can put it that way."

He took the opportunity when she put a piece of zucchini in her mouth and pressed his lips briefly on hers. She was completely happy. Her thoughts only briefly drifted to the dark cloud waiting in the Land of Wind for her.

He had eaten more than was necessary and was ready to go back to bed after breakfast. Temari also yawned. Maybe she would go with him. He was about to make this suggestion when she indicated that he should stay seated.

She went into the bedroom and came back with a package in her hand. The red ribbon told him that it was a gift. She put it on the table in front of him.

"It looks like it was big and expensive."

"Even if, it's for you. Now open it up!"

She behaved like Mirai, who was excited to tell him a secret. He was happy to see Temari's shiny eyes. He carefully unwrapped the contents from the paper. Finally there was a wooden box in front of him. The symbol of his clan was painstakingly painted on it.

He noticed how the tears came to him. Without lifting the lid, he knew the contents. She had bought him a new Shogi board.

"I didn't know you were going to start sobbing, crybaby," she teased.

Instead of an answer, he got hold of her and pulled her close. He heard her make a startled sound.

"The first time after the war I couldn't play Shogi. First Asuma died, then my father. I no longer had a Shogi partner," he said in a hoarse voice. "When I played Shogi for the first time, you were just in Konoha and visited me. Since then, not all memories of Shogi have been painted with grieved. I can now relate good memories to it." He put his forehead to hers. "You couldn't have given me a better gift, Tem."

Her hand caught the tear that crept down from his eye.

"You are welcome."

* * *

Her intervention had apparently helped because no one bothered them until around noon. They were wrapped tightly on the sofa, watching a film in the background. Feeling and enjoying each other's closeness was the more important aspect. They exchanged kisses, and intense looks.

"We haven't talked about the bet yet," Shikamaru remarked after giving her a kiss on the top of the head. "After all, I won part of it."

She made a sound of discomfort that made Shikamaru smile.

"What was your price again?" She asked innocently.

"If both Suna genins get knocked out in the finals, you will play Shogi with me," he said. "And every time you lose a piece, you take off a piece of clothing, which I determine."

Temari wiped herface frantically because it tingled there. He noticed how she was getting nervous and pressed her closer to him.

"Don't worry, Temari," he said to her ear, causing her neck hair to rise. "If you feel uncomfortable, we can stop it at any time."

"I know. Nonetheless, when I offered it, I felt significantly braver. " She gave him a kiss on the knuckles. "But I don't just run away from a bet."

"I admire that about you. You bravely oppose everything. Even if it scares you. "

"But hopefully you haven't forgotten my bet. In the end, Saki theoretically reached the final.”

He sighed. "Can I at least make a condition before you spank my ass in a fight?"

She laughed out loud.

"What?"

"Don't hold back."

"That surprises me. I thought you were asking me if I would give up my tessen. "

"Why should I? That would be like forbidding me to use my jutsu. "

Then he distracted from the subject and traced the contours of her body with his hands. His hands just felt too good, she wanted him to continue, but the doorbell rang. Temari broke away from him and stood up.

"You could just ignore the doorbell," he called to her as she walked to the front door grumpily.

"Has that ever stopped Ino?" she gave back. There was a loud sigh in response.

She opened the door with more force than necessary and faced Kurenai. Mirai hung on her hand, excitedly calling "Shikamaru! Maru!"

"Hey Temari. Is Shikamaru here? I think someone wants to get rid of a birthday present."

Temari, who was not greeted by this whirlwind for the first time, dropped to her knees.

"Hello, Mirai. Do you remember me?"

"Teeemari!" She threw herself around her neck.

"You can't get rid of her now," remarked Shikamaru, who had stepped behind her. "Come in."

"We don't want to bother for long. Sure you have other plans."

"We always have time for Mirai," Temari replied, lifting Mirai in her arms. "Should I show you the garden?"

The girl nodded and gripped her neck more tightly with her arms. Temari stepped on the veranda with her. Her bare feet were caressed by the cool blades of grass. She has rarely felt that way with herself. Was it Mirai's fault? So far, she had never thought of having children of her own, but if this small, warm weight pressed against her, she could imagine it.

Shikamaru watched Temari, who dealt with Mirai quite naturally. His two girls laughed together at a squirrel that climbed up the tree. He gestured for Kurenai to follow him into the kitchen. She did so and put a paper bag on the table.

"I see you get along fine," Kurenai said to him and took the teacups he handed her.

"Hmm?"

"You and Temari," she said, smiling. "You seem happy."

"Yes, we are," he replied, filling the kettle with water and putting it on the stove. "Of course we sometimes quarrel, but it's nowhere near as troublesome as I used to think."

"Asuma knew," she said suddenly. "He said earlier that you and Temari would get married sometime."

Embarrassed, he raised his hand over his head. "We're not there yet, Kurenai."

He knew that everyone was just waiting for him and Temari to announce their engagement. Shikamaru could not deny how the question concerned him. Temari was the right woman in every way. She challenged him intellectually, she understood his jokes and thoughts like no one else, and she also had a physical attraction that he had never felt for another woman. Only there was more than just one factor that played into it. He couldn't ask her now. The timing was bad.

"You have time." She put a hand on his forearm. "You only get pondering when you look at your own child. I still can't imagine that this shy little girl from my team will marry Naruto next week. You all grew up and have responsibilities. Asuma would be so proud. "

He put his hand over hers and gave her a quick squeeze.

"Mirai has grown incredibly again." The water boiled and he poured it into the jug. "I'm sorry I've rarely been there for you lately."

Kurenai put the tea on the tray with the cups. He quickly reached into the fridge and pulled out juice for Mirai.

"You have your own life, Shikamaru. So I was glad that Temari let me know that you have time."

He saw how Temari always threw Mirai in the air and caught it again. Mirai laughed out loud.

"More! More!" he heard her screech.

Temari was just perfect.

Mirai had kept them very busy and had fallen asleep on Shikamaru's lap after two hours. He had lifted her up and placed her on the sofa next to him. He gently stroked her hair from her face and covered her with a sweater.

"Maru," she murmured.

Temari looked again at the picture that Mirai had painted for him. Even though it must have been ages ago for a three-year-old, she had painted herself, Shikamaru, Temari and Kankuro, who operated his puppet. He had had everything explained in detail by her. She had asked several times about Kankuro and when he would come back.

Temari finally said that her brother was in Suna. Which brought up many more questions. She had explained as simply as possible what a desert was, what her other brother Gaara looked like and why the Kazekage did the same as the Hokage, but was called differently. Finally, Kurenai had taken her still sleeping daughter, wished them a nice day and had gone home.

Temari was enchanted through and through because of Kurenai and Mirai and Shikamaru's behaviour in front of the two. She had never had much contact with young children and was sure that Gaara had been so sweet and inquisitive at some point.

Temari absentmindedly washed the teacups and suddenly felt Shikamaru's hands that settled on her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder.

"Thank you." A warm feeling of satisfaction flowed through her.

* * *

"Shikamaru! Congratulations!" Naruto greeted him and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thanks, Naruto."

Hinata stood behind him, who hugged him shortly thereafter.

"Congratulations, Shikamaru-kun."

With the exception of Ino, the group was almost complete. Choji, as usual, nibbled a bag of chips and talked to Sai and Kiba. Next to them stood Shino, silent as always. Sakura and Temari were in a conversation about work. Hinata joined Lee and TenTen.

"Has your wound healed by now, Shikamaru?" He looked at Naruto.

"According to Sakura, I'm as good as new. There will be a last check tomorrow and then hopefully I'll be able to work again." Naruto nodded.

"I was really worried about you."

"It was just a stupid accident."

At least that was the official version. If Naruto knew that both he and Temari were the target, he would go out on his own and seek out those who were responsible. Shikamaru appreciated that Naruto was worried, but he didn't want to attract more attention. It was also an official instruction from the Hokage that no one outside knew about the events during the Chunin exams.

"Sorry for the delay." Ino had finally joined them. "Hey Shikamaru. Happy birthday."

She pulled him exuberantly into her arms. As always, it smelled like a field of flowers.

"Well, why are you still standing around here? Let's go in and celebrate!"

Konoha definitely knew how to party. The evening was well advanced and it was slowly approaching midnight.

Temari sipped her cocktail and watched Lee spin TenTen in a wild dance while Ino and Sakura sang into the mics of a karaoke machine just a few meters away. Shikamaru had drunk significantly more than normal and laughed at the stupidest jokes Naruto and Kiba told him. His face glowed. Shino and Sai were talking about the different beetles that the Aburame clan used.

Temari looked at Hinata who was sitting next to her. Her eyes were full of love on Naruto. She wondered briefly if she gave Shikamaru such looks when Sai suddenly got up.  
Ino and Sakura had finished their song and stepped down from the stage. As he passed, Sai grabbed Ino's wrist and stopped it. Temari didn't know what he was saying, but she stopped as he stepped onto the stage with the mic in hand.

"Now that it's midnight, I wanted to wish my beauty a wonderful birthday. That's why I have prepared something special. "

Everyone in the room and especially their friends at the table were now looking in Sai's direction. He fiddled with his pocket and pulled out a small box.

Temari suddenly knew why Sai hadn't wanted to talk about his gift. He got on one knee and opened the box.

"Yamanaka Ino, do you want to be my wife?"

Her "YES!" went down in cheers when she lunged into his arms and he put the ring on her finger.

The entire bar exploded with joy. Sakura was at her best friend's side in a matter of seconds, hugging her tightly. Temari, however, looked at Shikamaru. His face was blank. Apparently he hadn't expected it any more than she had.

* * *

At around two in the morning they were finally on their way home. Shikamaru no longer knew how much alcohol he had been drinking because after Sais and Ino's engagement so many rounds of sake were passed around that he soon stopped counting.

Temari, like him, seemed to be in an adventurous mood. They stopped every few meters, giggled and kissed. He was just pressing Temari against the wall of a house while he ran his lips along her neck. She had her legs swung around his waist and she didn't seem to care as much as whether they could be seen.

"We should go home urgently," she said softly as he let her slide back to the floor and she straightened her skirt. They turned into the next street corner. Temari had already pulled out the key and pulled it into the apartment by his shirt.

He had just enough time to take off his shoes before she pushed him against the nearest wall and slammed the door shut. She pressed so tightly against him that he didn't know how to resist the temptation not to give in to his lower instincts. Her sight was so adorable. Her hair stood out wildly, her eyes glittered with wild desire and her red kissed lips. Then he noticed her hands tampering with his pants.

"Temari?" He asked as she pulled it down and knelt in front of him.

"Psst. I have another gift for you. "


	12. Bouquets and Men Talk

She didn't know how she got in the middle of the bunch of women sitting at Ino's home, tying bouquets together. Shikamaru had warned her not to go near the flower shop. When she was about to pick him up for lunch two days ago, she had just taken the wrong turn and walked straight into Ino.

She had complained about how much work was still to be done, and the wedding was only a few days away, and it would not be possible without additional help that they could be finished in time. Temari was all at sea and agreed to help.

When she arrived at Hokage tower with a pale face, Shikamaru's concern quickly turned into a fit of laughter. He also congratulated her on succumbing to Ino's persuasion and giggled - yes, giggled! - to her attempts to beat him. As soon as the tears of laughter no longer ran down his face, he had invited her to lunch and wished her luck.

She hadn't even tried to get him to save her from this situation, because he knew Ino too well for that. Afterwards he need to tie flowers together and she didn't want to do that to Shikamaru. Since, unlike her, he was not on leave, he sometimes worked until late at night. Therefore she did not want to burden him even more.

At least he would pick her up in a couple of hours so they could eat with Yoshino. She was looking forward to meet Shikamaru's mother.

Temari was given a rather simple task and was supposed to tie some bouquets with six sunflowers in different colours. Hinata sat right next to her and worked with Ino on a large arrangement that was to come on the bride and groom's table. It consisted of many white and pastel-coloured flowers called peonies. According to Ino, a classic flower that should not be missing at any wedding.

Since Temari had never really dealt with such customs, a completely different world opened up to her. Even Tenten was eager to tie the bouquets and arrangements to do her part to make this wedding perfect.

She looked at Hinata with a strained face trying to incorporate the flowers in the right shape according to Inos' instructions. Temari was very happy for the soon to be newly-weds.

She wished them all the best in the world. Naruto deserved to be happy and it looked like Hinata would be just the woman for it. She was kind and reserved. She cared about the people around her. She made Naruto shine all over his face. He was loud and bold and Hinata was his resting place.

A sound on the door announced further reinforcements.

"Sorry Ino. I couldn't leave earlier”, she heard Sakura's voice. "I also brought Moegi with me. She wants to help, too."

"Naruto-niisan, is going to get a wonderful wedding!"

"Make yourself at home. I'm just making new tea, ”said Ino.

The new arrivals were led into the living room, which looked now more like a flower shop. Temari got up and greeted them.

"Hey, Temari!" Sakura hugged her.

Temari didn't know why the people of Konoha insisted on welcoming each other with hugs, but she accepted it first.

"Do you already know Moegi?"

She remembered the girl with the two braids well. She had taken and passed the Chunin exam some time ago. If she remembered right, she'd been on a team with Udon and Konohamaru. She remembered how enthusiastically Naruto had cheered on the three.

"Oh!" She said. "You're responsible for the Chunin exams together with Shikamaru!"

"Yes that's right."

"She's also Shikamaru's girlfriend," added Sakura.

Moegi's eyes went round. Temari had no objection to being introduced to his girlfriend, but still a hint of red crept onto her cheeks. It was still unusual, even if they had been together for more than half a year.

"Don't stand around here!" Ino intervened in the conversation. "We still have a lot of work to do."

* * *

"Shikamaru!"

Naruto didn't even give him time to turn around before slapping his hand firmly on his shoulder. He winced briefly because he wasn't prepared for the force and looked at Naruto with an annoyed expression on his face. Shikamaru had to prepare internally to meet his mother with Temari. He didn't need another distraction. Then he looked into Naruto's face and considered it again.

"Are you all right, Naruto?"

Otherwise he always grinned all over his face. But now he seemed very upset. Really upset. So far Shikamaru had only seen him when they couldn't bring Sasuke back.

"Do you have time for a walk? I know you're always busy, Shikamaru. You also want to spend time with Temari - "

Shikamaru raised his hand. "I always have time for you, Naruto. So where does the shoe pinch? "

As they walked along the edge of the woods, Naruto spread the whole dilemma that bothered him. He had hoped Sasuke would come back. Shikamaru had known that before, but he only seemed to realize how much Naruto depressed this. He actually wanted to make him his best man. Now that Sasuke wasn't there, he needed an alternative.

"Would you be my best man, Shikamaru?"  
He raised his arms overhead and thought. It would honour him, but he didn't think he was the right candidate for it. That's what he said to Naruto. He let his shoulders hang down further now.

"Why don't you ask Sakura? She would be happy about it. She knows you much better and she would definitely be honoured”, Shikamaru suggested.

"But isn't that weird? I used to be in love with her. Wouldn't that look absolutely strange? "

"Did you talk to Hinata about it? What does she think?"

"She suggested Sakura immediately," Naruto replied, looking at him.

"Then you should listen to your future wife." He winked at him.

"Sometimes I wish I was as smart as you were." Naruto sighed again. "Then I have another request for you."

"Oh, ok." He stopped puzzled.

"Do you have time tomorrow evening? I wanted to spend my last night as an unmarried man with all the boys. Hinata does that too, only with the girls. ”

"Sure, I'm definitely there."

* * *

They had finally prepared all the bouquets, flower arrangements and boutonnière, and were now sitting comfortably together, while Ino was handing a glass of sparkling wine to each of them. Even though she was sitting and helping out more involuntarily, she enjoyed this part of the day.

It was nice to just sit among other women. She did not often have the opportunity to do so in Suna. Either the women she knew were intimidated by her or were not interested in the same topics. So she gratefully accepted the glass and sat on the next armrest next to Hinata and Tenten.

“I want to thank everyone who helped today. Without you we would never have finished."

"Thank you very much," said Hinata, giving each of her friends a smile. "I know you have a lot to do."

"We are happy to help," said Tenten. "Naruto and Hinata deserve the most beautiful wedding Konoha has ever seen."

"Soon we have to plan the next wedding," said Sakura. "Don't we, Ino?"

Ino immediately turned red. Sai's ring glittered on her finger. Temari quickly took a sip. She hoped nobody would talk about her and Shikamaru. Now that everyone around her was in a wedding mood, most of the conversation were just about this. In and of itself it didn't bother her, but she didn't want to spoil the mood.

If they found out that she was promised to another man through a contract, Ino would probably personally hunt down the Wind Daimyo. She did not want to think about how that would affect diplomatic relations between Suna and Konoha. Now the situation was additionally burdened by Morio and the accident during the Chunin tests. Temari didn't whether she was coming or going.

"We are still at the very beginning of planning and have not even set a date," evaded Ino. "I find the question of when Temari and Shikamaru finally spill the beans more important."

All eyes immediately turned to her. Temari considered how to get out of the situation unscathed when the next visitor at the door saved her.

Ino jumped up immediately and came back a short time later with Shikamaru and Naruto in tow.

"Hey everyone," Naruto greeted everyone as Shikamaru raised his hand. Naruto immediately sat next to Hinata, who was looking at him with glowing cheeks.

"Sit down, Shikamaru," said Ino and gently pushed him onto the next chair. "We had just asked Temari when you would finally announce your engagement."

Temari gave him an apologetic look. She saw him roll his eyes.

"It's none of your business, Ino."

The mood in the room changed. Temari noticed how everyone was looking at either Shikamaru or Ino.

"I think so. We lead our respective clans, Shikamaru. That is why we have duties. One of them is to ensure the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho. "

Shikamaru sighed. "This is not your sole decision, Ino," he countered. “Choji also has a say. Therefore I would kindly ask you not to make such suggestions all the time. Especially not when others are present. "

"But -"

"I think Shikamaru is right," said Sakura. "These are not issues that concern us. How do you like the flowers, Naruto? "

Temari exhaled as Naruto picked up the subject and Ino turned from Shikamaru with a sniff.

She didn't want the two friends to have a disagreement. Especially not because she liked Ino very much and knew how important Shikamaru was hers and Choji's opinion. She hoped they would drop the topic. Soon afterwards they said goodbye and walked a long round through Konoha.

For the time being, they did not take up the topic again, but Shikamaru told about his day, while Temari listened to him and asked a question here and there. Finally, it was inevitable to talk about the incident at Ino's, especially since they were soon going to meet Yoshino and Temari almost expected to take this stumbling block there as well.

"I'm sorry if I cause you problems." Shikamaru, who had walked silently alongside her, looked at her in amazement.

"Do not worry. Ino gets back on her feet. "

She asked him to stop. "Is your tradition so important, Shikamaru? Wouldn't it be better if you were looking for a woman who is free and not bound? I'm bringing you a lot of trouble.”

He reached for her hand. "I don't want any other woman."

* * *

"Do you think I can wear this?" Shikamaru had been showering and changing and sat on his sofa for almost an hour, waiting for Temari to finish. So far, she had never had female attitudes like Ino and had been worried about an outfit forever. Apparently this changed suddenly when it came to meeting his mother. He didn't care what she was wearing. She was beautiful either way. She was unsure and he did not face the urgency of her question with usual banter, but turned to her and looked at her in detail.

She was wearing a black, knee-length dress with a belt in one colour that made her eyes shine. She wore her hair open and had generous curls at the ends. Temari's eyes were framed in black, giving her a cat-like look. Her lips had a hint of pink.

"You look beautiful." He got up and kissed her cheek.

"It's not too much?" He shook his head.

"You could also show up in my clothes and my mother wouldn't mind. It's important that you feel good."

Shikamaru saw her blush slightly now. She quickly reached for the gift for Yoshino that was on the table by the sofa.

"Then I'm ready."

She clasped her hand with his and pulled him toward the door. He also knew that his mother would love Temari.

The food was plentiful and sufficiently available. After the second lookup she had waved away and so they were now sitting comfortably at the dining table and drinking a tea.  
After initial scepticism, Shikamaru seemed to be more relaxed and didn't look at her every time his mother asked something.

Temari had only made it more nervous. She didn't know how to deal with her boyfriend's mother once they were officially visiting for the first time.

Yoshino asked her a lot about Suna and life there, and Temari replied excessively. From the heat and the cold, starry nights, as well as from the sandstorms and storms that appeared from now on. She told of the festivals and holidays that were celebrated with dances and all friends.

While she was talking like this, a longing spread within her that she rarely felt otherwise. Even though Konoha was slowly becoming her second home, her heart remained as impetuous and unpredictable as the desert from which she was born. She would always prefer the hot sun on her skin to the quiet rustling of leaves.

"I've rarely come out of Konoha," said Yoshino thoughtfully. "Back when I was active as kunoichi, we were not in such a peaceful state as today. Nor could you travel around as freely. I am glad that you and Shikamaru are doing your part to keep the peace."

"We're just doing our job, Mum," Shikamaru said.

"Shikaku always said that," she replied, smiling. "It is not a matter of course. I am grateful to you for that. Raising children in dangerous times is more worrying than you may admit."  
Yoshino finally shook her head. "But such difficult topics are not for such an evening."

Temari had to admit that she liked Shikamaru's mother. In moments like these, she herself noticed when her own mother was missing. Just three years was not enough to experience all the wisdom a mother could convey. Her heart felt short. Shikamaru seemed to know her thoughts well because his hand pressed hers under the table. She found comfort in this little gesture.

"You are welcome to visit us in Suna at any time, Yoshino," Temari offered. "Gaara and Kankuro would definitely be happy to show you Suna. Just like me. We have a beautiful tea house there that I like to visit."

Yoshino seemed ashamed. She raised her hand and waved it off.

"For me it doesn't have to be such an effort. The Kazekage certainly has more important things to do."

Temari watched her clasp her hand behind her neck. She always thought Shikamaru would have taken this gesture from his father. So she was surprised to see this with his mother.

"Temari is right, Mum. Gaara definitely doesn't mind."

"Well, if you both say that." Yoshino quickly changed the subject. "I remember I was preparing dessert. Come on, help me, Shikamaru."

Temari had to suppress a giggle when he rolled his eyes.

He just waited until they were out of earshot and whispered to his mother, "What are you really up to, Mum?"

"Having a conversation with my son," she replied, entering the kitchen.

As she pulled a cheesecake out of the fridge, he pulled out plates.

"I am sure your father has already taught you all the important things about women. In such matters, fathers are the better contacts. She seems to be happy and I am sure you will treat her well." She interrupted her speech to put a piece of cake on the plate. "Besides, you're an intelligent boy. Ino will surely have told you one or two things, so I just want to ask you one question: Do you want to marry her sometime?"

Shikamaru opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. First Kurenai, then Ino's engagement and his own growing feelings for Temari. He would have loved to take the next step. To set their relationship in stone and show to the world that Temari belonged to him. He just wanted to be with her and start a family, but there was the Wind Daiymo and his legally binding contract.

The future of Suna was in Temari's hands and therefore also in his. He didn't know how to explain this to his mother without sounding like a coward or even looking for an excuse.

"I know things are complicated. She wasn't born here and your children would be entitled to be Kazekage. It could create tension between Suna and Konoha. But if it wasn't all of that, would you ask her to become your wife? "

"Yes." Yoshino reached for his shoulder and smiled at him.

"Then don't wait too long. Women like Temari know what they want. You have my blessing."

His throat closed a little as his mother hugged him. He returned her hug and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Mum. For everything."

* * *

Shikamaru had been amazingly thoughtful and calm the rest of the evening. While they were walking back, he had agreed to carry the rest of the food and cake, but otherwise he only answered her in monosyllables.

Whatever his mother had said to him in the kitchen was bothering him. She unlocked the door and waited until he followed her onto the porch, then spoke to him.

"Are you all right, Shikamaru?" He suddenly looked at her more lovingly than he had ever done before.

"I love you, Temari."

"What?!"

She had expected everything, but his confession of love completely startled her. He didn't seem to take it personally that she stared at him and couldn't get anything out. The silence became unbearable. Finally, she took two brave steps towards him, grabbed his shirt and pulled him close for a kiss that went all over her body.

Shikamaru pulled her closer to him and returned the kiss just as fiercely.

Minutes later, they both let each other out, breathing hard, and just looked each other in the eye. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm glad you didn't storm out of the apartment."

She touched his lips briefly and turned her eyes back to his face, memorizing every contour. He was so incredibly important to her. So valuable to her.

"I would never do that." She paused briefly "I'm happy. With you, with us. I don't want to break the moment either -" He put a finger on her lips.

"You don't have to say it, Tem. It was a need for me to express my feelings for you. You don't have to feel compelled."

She pulled him into a tight hug and kissed him again with lots of little kisses on the lips. Her heart was pounding with emotion. Suddenly she was so terrified of losing him.  
What she could not yet express in words, she wanted to show him through gestures.

"Let's watch the stars," she said. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"That sounds wonderful."

She had to make sure that she and Shikamaru had a future.

* * *

The next day started much too early. Groaning, he turned off the alarm clock and hoped he would not only get through the job, but also the evening with Naruto. He had given up hope that it wouldn't end in a binge drinking after he knew Kiba and Lee would be there. Temari was half on top of him and prevented him from getting up physically. He sighed loudly again, which made her push closer to him.

"Don't want to get up?" She murmured.

"No."

Her hand suddenly began to wander to the waistband of his boxers.

He stopped her there. Since Temari had surprised him the last time after the birthday party, he couldn't think clearly when her hands touched him. He quickly took advantage of the moment grabbed her wrists and threw her on her back. When he pressed all of his weight on her and looked into her eyes, he could see her conspiratorially grinning at him.

"But you're pretty active for that, Nara," she commented on his action.

Instead of an answer, he first kissed her softly on the mouth and quickly moved on to her neck. He loved the little noises she made. Since she didn't stop him, he became a little more daring and he gently stroked her breasts, which were only covered by a piece of cloth. Apparently she liked that too, because she breathed in for a moment, startled.

Suddenly he was the one who was thrown on his back by her. She was now on top of him. Her legs raised to the left and right of his hips. When she leaned down to kiss him, her tight top gave him a glimpse of what she was hiding under the fabric.

Shikamaru would have done almost anything to allow her to take this off. His fingers played at the end of the shirt and gently stroked her back there.

"I just need the right motivation," he said.

She ran a finger along his chin and looked at him thoughtfully.

"If you get up now and go to work, we can continue later."

She leaned down again to kiss him and hugged him. He put both arms around her, his heart pounding in his chest.

* * *

After saying goodbye to Shikamaru, she decided to put her thoughts in order while doing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom and floors, and finally knocking out all the carpets. The weather was still relatively warm for late September and the sun's rays danced through the clouds. She put the laundry basket on the floor and knocked out the first shirt to hang it up.

She had ambivalent feelings for tomorrow. It was far from her first wedding she attended, but it was the first with a partner by her side. She didn't know how to act in this case. She wanted to shout out into the world how much she loved Shikamaru. Show everyone how important it was to them. She didn't want to leave him hanging in the air with his love confession, but she was blocked.

The little cloud of bliss of the past few weeks would soon break apart when she returned to Suna. There the Council would give her hell and force her to make a decision.

She picked up the next item of clothing and put it on the line. Life with Shikamaru had turned out to be more pleasant than she could have imagined. Waking up and falling asleep together, cooking together, making him laugh, going for walks together, heated discussions and just enjoying each other's presence were so simple things, and yet they enriched Temari on so many levels.

She didn't want to give up on Shikamaru and it had become a real possibility. Only the thought made her heart heavy. It reached for her like a cold hand. When she finally hung up the towels, she reached for the basket and started to prepare food. Soon it was noon and she would surprise Shikamaru in the Hokage Tower.

* * *

Shikamaru really tried to concentrate on the job, but his hormones completely thwarted him. In order not to notice how much he was off track, he had pounced on all the paperwork today and was sitting in his office.

He looked at the numbers in front of him and tried to work out whether the budget for the hospital was right, but his head went back to Temari. How she had leaned over him and offered him this wonderful view. He thought about how good it felt to be holding her in her arms as her hands searched his body. How she had pushed him against the wall a week ago when they both came home drunk.

Temari made it so hard for him that he was considering taking a cold shower so that he could think clearly again when the door opened and the woman he had to think about all day entered.

He didn't give her time to put the food on the table, but ran to meet her and kissed her against the door. When he kissed his girlfriend, he didn't want to be interrupted. His hands touched and hovered all over her body. He had to smile when she uttered startled sounds.

"I didn't actually come for that." He stopped trying to nibble on her ear when he heard her embarrassed tone.

"I just missed you," he said hoarsely, kissing her on the chin down to her neck. "All day I think of you and I can't concentrate on work."  
She giggled and ran her hand along his back. "If I had known what I'm doing to you this morning, I wouldn't have let you go to work like that."

Her voice sounded inviting and seductive. He briefly lowered his lips to hers, then let go of her.

"When I get home today, I'll pay my bet."  
Her face turned red from top to bottom. He never thought she looked cuter.

* * *

"I would say that's the next piece," Shikamaru said, triggering her to drop the Shogi stone.

They had sat in the living room after dinner, accompanied by a bottle of wine.  
Temari was just a little nervous. After all, it was just Shikamaru. They knew each other significantly longer than they were together. He would never make her feel uncomfortable on purpose. All she had to do was say a word and they would stop immediately.

But that was not the reason for her nervousness. Not even the fact that he could see her naked made her feel uncomfortable. What worried them was how much they both played with the fire. They were always on the border. Just a touch, a kiss, a word could make them sleep with each other, and Temari didn't want to have this experience with Shikamaru, under no circumstances, by falling headless over each other. She wanted to take her time. Enjoy every second of it. Which is why Shikamaru's bet was a little heavy in the stomach. Temari picked up the stone again and looked at it defiantly.

"Well, I got rid of my skirt and blouse. My stockings too. There is not much left. What should I take off, Shikamaru? "

"Open your hair."

"My hair?" He nodded and leaned over the board to kiss her. Then he reached into her hair and pulled out the hair ties.

The game had apparently become of no interest to him because he pushed it aside and pulled her closer to him. The way he stroked her bare skin with gentle fingertips got her goose bumps. But he did nothing more than hold her tight and kiss her over and over again.

"Are you cold?"

"No," she whispered. "Just a little excited."

"I didn't do this to lure you into a trap," he said to her lips. "You are so beautiful, Tem. I can't keep my hands off you. ” He kissed her again. "I just wanted to play Shogi with you and I thought I would combine it with something else that would make me very happy."

"To see me naked?"

"If I had wanted to see you naked, I would have tried harder to win."

The tone in his voice made her push him away.

"You are an ass, Shikamaru. Really." He frowned.

"Did I say something wrong, Tem?"

"Find out for yourself," she replied, standing up and pulling her clothes together. "I have to get ready now."  
He called after her, but she just wanted to get out. Sometimes he was such an idiot.

* * *

He hadn't actually intended to drown his frustration in alcohol, but after Kiba kept stressing how lucky they were to have such great women, he had to take action. Shikamaru was at least almost certain why Temari was angry with him. She probably resented him for not taking the Shogi game seriously. Or maybe she was upset that he had tricked her a little bit with his bet. Or the combination of both. He sighed in frustration and sipped his beer again, listening to the sounds coming from the bar.

"Tell me Shikamaru. What's Temari like in bed? ”Asked Kiba suddenly.

The beer went the wrong way and he spat it towards the Shino sitting opposite him. The latter did not comment on his outburst, but wiped the drops off his glasses with a napkin. He also handed one over to Shikamaru.

"Have you gone mad?" He wanted to know and coughed.

"What? We are here among ourselves. No false shyness. "

"Ino snores," Sai commented, making both Lee and Naruto laugh.

Shikamaru smiled gratefully at him. He was sure that Sai was by no means as clueless as he pretended, but obviously the subject was just as uncomfortable for him and so he played the naive. He believed that Sai winked at him, but due to his blurred perception of alcohol, he was unsure.

"Shikamaru is right, Kiba. Such private things are nobody's business, ” Choji said, “t's also about Naruto. So let's order another round! "

But he shouldn't get to drink the next beer. Suddenly Sakura was standing by the table.

"Sakura-chan! Drink with us! "

"No, I can't, Naruto." As always, she smiled politely at him. "Can you come with me, Shikamaru? Temari is outside and she is not doing well. ”

He had already jumped up and was looking for money.

"I'm sorry people. I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto. "

He quickly squeezed Naruto's shoulder and threw the money on the table before following Sakura outside. There Temari stood at a bush and threw up, supported by a worried-looking Hanabi. Shikamaru had seen Temari in many stages of drunkenness, but the fact that she vomited was new to him. Finally she swayed to the floor, her head between her knees.

"Did she eat something, Sakura?"

"No, just drank a lot. We played a drinking game and Temari somehow knew no bounds.” She leaned closer to him. "Is everything okay between you? She looked so sad today. "

"We had a little argument. Nothing bad. ”He sighed and rubbed his hair. "You can go. I'll take her home. Thank you, Sakura. "

He went up to Temari.

"Thank you, Hanabi. Go back and celebrate. " She nodded and followed Sakura.

As soon as the two women had left, he knelt before Temari and took her hand.

"Hey, Tem. Can you stand up?"

Slowly, she raised her head and stared past him. She was really absolutely drunk.

"S'ikamaruuuuu?"

“Yes, it's me, princess." He had only called her that before in jest. Most of the time she had reacted angrily to it. Now, however, she chuckled with suppressed laughter.

"Shouldn't call me that. I'm not a princess. "

"We're going home, okay?"

"I want to sleep. Tired."

Since she made no move to meet him, he pulled her up into an upright position and then took her in his arms.

"Put your arms around me, Tem. Then you don't fall. "

"I'm sorry, S'ika."

It sounded very clear and almost sober. He looked down. Her eyes were on him and she meant her words seriously.

"Forgiven and forgotten. Hold on tight. "

* * *

After she washed her hair and brushed her teeth with the help of Shikamaru and drinking at least two litres of water, she felt better. As a precaution, she swallowed a headache pill and then swung her legs into bed that he had been warming up for some time.  
From his breath she saw that he was not yet asleep, just waiting for her to come to bed with him.

Tomorrow was still on her mind, just like Shikamaru's statement that he hadn't played against her on purpose, but all of that disappeared in the light of her considerations when she laid her head on his chest and he naturally pulled her to him and gave a kiss on her forehead.

She had really behaved impossible and just let him sit instead of telling him why she was upset. It was also his bet and she had agreed.

But the most important thing had only become clear to her when she had already drunk some alcohol at Hinata's party: he had confessed his love to her. Shikamaru loved her and was not ashamed of it.

He was there, although she was probably the most strenuous woman in the world. After that, she had drowned her frustration in just more alcohol. Hopefully she would get through tomorrow without any problems because her head wasn't feeling well now.

"Would you like to talk about earlier?"

Shikamaru pulled the blanket a little higher so that her shoulder was covered. She shook her head. His thumb brushed lightly over her arm and went to her ear.

"Everything is fine between us, Tem. So do not worry."

She heard how difficult it was for him to formulate the words. He was about to fall asleep. Instead of an answer, she grabbed his right hand and kissed the palm of his hand.

"I know. Good night, Shika. "

"Night, Tem ..."

 _I love you. Please don't leave me_ , were the last words that roamed her head as the moon slowly moved on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited for the next chapter! Be prepared for Hinata's and Naruto's wedding. :)


	13. Perfect

Shikamaru waited at the gate of Konoha for the arrival of Gaara and Kankuro. Temari had been harnessed by Ino to put any flowers anywhere. He had kissed her extensively before he left.

After Temari went to the toilet several times during the night, she seemed to be feeling better. He had apologized to her, as did she to him. They both didn't want to be mad at each other for such a trifle. Mostly because it suddenly felt so different. Since he'd confessed his love to her, so much seemed to have changed between them.

She gave him a smile much more often, from those little ones that only graced the corners of her mouth to those that covered her entire face and included her eyes. He caught her more and more often as she watched him or her hand that ran through his loose hair.

All in all, he was happier than before, if that was possible. They had also been able to get rid of the problems from yesterday. He would soon lose her to Suna again after their long time together, and he didn't like that at all.

He didn't want her to go through these uncomfortable meetings and decisions alone, but Shikamaru knew just how important it was for her to fight herself free. He trusted her to call on him for help when needed.

Her brothers came within sight. Both wore long, traditional Suna robes. Kankuro in black, Gaara in red. Shikamaru knew that this was the highest form of respect for Naruto.

"Hi Shikamaru," Gaara greeted him with a handshake. "How are you?"

"Good, thank you, Gaara. I hope the trip was a pleasant one."

"Hey. Where's Temari?" Kankuro threw himself in between and eyed him suspiciously. He hoped Kankuro would start behaving normally towards him at some point.

"Helps prepare for the wedding."

"Hm." Whatever peeved Kankuro, he hoped he would behave at the wedding. He was in such a good mood right now and he didn't want to let it spoil by him.

* * *

Little by little the wedding guests arrived. Temari sat with the other women and Hinata one last time before she was married. Hinata sat silently between her friends and listened to them while Temari stared outside at the crowd of people walking through the streets of Konoha.

All Kage were invited and had brought their advisors and bodyguards with them. She herself could just be here today as a guest because Kankuro was there. Again she fiddled with her skirt.

"You could almost think you are getting married as nervous as you are today," said Sakura next to her.

Temari turned her head to her. She was holding a glass of champagne.

"I hope everything is going smoothly today. So many important people gathered here."

Sakura cocked her head from side to side. "Nothing will happen. Naruto and Hinata will have a nice wedding."

Temari took the glass of champagne and took a sip. Sakura was probably right. Every village had turned off shinobi for safety. A time of peace had also begun. She was also more with herself and Shikamaru in her thoughts. As things stand, they have no future together. In the past few weeks she had tried not to think about it and just enjoy spending time with Shikamaru. But now everything was pattering on her again.

_I love you, Temari._

She would like to tell him that too, but not as long as a everything hang over head as a sword of damocles, that could change her future forever.

"We need a photo!" Ino screamed.

"Let's go. You know what Ino is like," said Temari and took another sip of champagne.

Sakura put a hand on her arm. "If you don't know who to talk to, my door is open anytime, Temari."

She nodded to her, moved by the offer. Konoha and its residents were so warm. She would miss it all very much. Hopefully there was still a way out.

The place was already well filled. People chatted with friends, took photos and the atmosphere was exuberant. Shikamaru stood with his hands in his pocket as usual, looking for Temari. He didn't know what she was going to wear today because she had made it a huge secret.  
"Have you already found good-looking women who are alone at a wedding and are looking for a date?" a voice teased him from behind.

With a smile, he turned. Today she had her hair pinned up in two braids. She also wore a short black skirt, which he knew and liked to see on her, and a white blouse. His mind wandered briefly. He imagined how great it would be to slowly open the buttons and wipe the bare skin from her collarbones with his fingers before his mouth...

"As if I had any chance of resisting you," he said, reaching for her hand. Her cheeks immediately turned red. "Let's go to Choji."

She wanted to snatch her hand from him, but he tightened the grip and smiled at her. It was time to show the world that she belonged to him. If the Council from Suna calmly try to take her away from him. He would find a way that someday they would dance at their wedding together.

After the wedding ceremony, the first thing to do was to pounce on the food.

  
Temari, who was still amazed at how much Choji could eat in a short time, sat at the table with him, Shikamaru, Ino and Sai and was so fascinated that she ate hardly anything herself and watched him thoughtfully. Shikamaru had just returned from the buffet and set up his plate at a safe distance from his friend.

"Your food is getting cold." He looked at her with a smile. "Not that Choji will empty your plate afterwards."

"I would never do that," Choji replied with a half-full mouth. "I don't want to cause a diplomatic crisis between Konoha and Suna."

Temari had to laugh out loud. Even Sai, who often had difficulty expressing emotions, joined the laugh that went through the table.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't blame you." She pushed the plate of meat to him that she would no longer eat. "It's all yours."

Choji's eyes instantly grew round.

"You have a good taste in women, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru made an approving sound.

The conversation was finally interrupted by a voice on the mic. Everyone immediately turned to the stage. There was a very well known woman with pink hair.

"Does it work?" said Sakura. "Ah, wonderful. I hope you like the food. The bride and groom have chosen it with great care and put it together. You are welcome to continue eating, but first I ask for your attention, dear Kage, guests and of course the bride and groom."

The crowd clapped as Naruto and Hinata briefly got up from their table and nodded to the guests. There were occasional shouts and Temari saw Akamaru wagging his tail wildly and then barking.

Temari, like the rest of Naruto's close friends, was housed near the newlyweds. The Kage and members of the Hyuuga clan came right behind.

"As Naruto's maid of honour, I naturally prepared a speech," announced Sakura. "I could tell you so much. Starting with thinking Naruto was a bit of an idiot. Because who else would go and paint the Hokage faces?"

You could tell by the laugh of the guests who came from Konoha. Temari looked over at Shikamaru.

"Did he really do that?" she formed wordlessly.

He confirmed her question with a nod. She quickly returned her attention.

"And when I was assigned to Team 7 together with him, I was devastated. Kakashi-sensei shouldn't have let us pass the exam because then I wouldn't have had to mediate between two huge egos all the time. It was really hard to keep Naruto and Sasuke-kun from killing each other. If Kakashi-sensei had read less, he would have noticed it. "

The guests laughed again. It was known far beyond Konoha how fanatical Kakashi read his books. He also raised his hand apologetically.

"But as much as I scolded Naruto, he grew dear to my heart like a brother. After saving Konoha, there was so much pride in there, besides the fear I had for him. That was also the moment when I finally got there believed that one day he would become one of the most important shinobi in the world. "

Temari saw tears collect in Sakura's eyes.

"You have been through so many difficult times, Naruto. That's why I'm so happy to be here at your and Hinata's wedding. I wish you all the luck in the world. I'm so glad to know you both."

She stepped off the stage while everyone applauded. Naruto hugged her tightly when she returned to the table. Temari was so happy for all of them. For Naruto and Hinata. For friendship Sakura and he cultivated. She only noticed that a tear ran down her face when Shikamaru gently stroked her hand.

Would she be granted that too? To experience this happiness with Shikamaru? Or did they base everything on an illusion?

As expected, all speeches that came after Sakura's speech were even more tearful than hers. Hanabi held a picture of Neji and told how much he would have been happy to dance with Hinata at this wedding. Iruka sobbed in one go and was difficult to understand. Bee performed a song for Hinata and Naruto.

Finally Kakashi came on stage. Shikamaru, who knew the course of the day, knew that the dance floor would be opened afterwards. His eyes were on his girlfriend. Temari seemed strangely sad. She laughed and smiled, but her thoughts were somewhere else.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted the guests. "Today I'm not bothering you as a Hokage. So don't worry, I don't spread missions."

He immediately had the laughs on his side.

"As Naruto's former teacher, I could tell a lot about how I always had to keep him from putting us all at risk of life. Or forcing us to eat at Ichiraku after each mission. We like ramen, but nobody has one intimate relationship with miso-ramen like Naruto. "

Choji laughed out loud next to him. So far, Naruto has been the only one he couldn't beat when it came to ramen.

"But there are much more important things to say. He has the incredible ability to bring people together and make friends. Because of him we can sit here and celebrate. That's why I'm looking forward to vacating my position as Hokage in a few years so that he can do even more incredible things for Konoha and the rest of the world. " He cleared his throat briefly. "So let's celebrate with the bride and groom. Let's toast Naruto and Hinata."

Everyone lifted the glasses synchronously while Shizune stepped up to Kakashi and whispered something in his ear. "Oh and I'm supposed to open the dance floor. So we clink glasses and see how the bride and groom dance."

  
The glasses clinked and congratulations were called. Shikamaru looked deep into Temari's eyes as they slapped their glasses together. She didn't look so depressed any more. Maybe it would cheer her up if he immediately asked her to dance.

Temari watched with a concentrated face as Naruto led his wife across the dance floor. He was doing much better than Lee constantly stepping on the Tenten's feet. More couples soon joined them. Sai ordered Ino to dance with him. She followed him with a bright red head.

"Let's dance," said a voice next to her. She turned her head in surprise.

"What did you say?"

"Let's dance," Shikamaru repeated. "You want to dance with me?"

She would have expected everything, but not that the laziest person she knew and who hated nothing more than doing unnecessary things would really ask her to dance with her.

"Don't be so surprised. Today we should just celebrate."

He got up and held out his hand. She saw Kankuro just entering the dance floor with Sakura and giving her an eyebrow raised. Temari shrugged and was willing to be led across the dance floor.

It was not the first time that she danced. Not even the first time at a wedding. Her father made sure early on that she, Gaara and Kankuro knew how to present themselves on the dance floor at social events.

Kankuro had never liked this part and Gaara had always approached with a stubborn attitude, while she liked to dance extensively.

What surprised her was how well Shikamaru could dance. Of course he had taken the lead and never stepped on her feet.

"Ok, Nara, you have to tell me where you learned to dance like this." He had just made her turn and pulled him safely back into his arms. "You are not doing this for the first time."

He smiled and gently dragged her along with him.

"Ino," he remarked, bringing his mouth close to her ear. “Of course my mother made sure that I could dance properly with a woman, but Ino was always the one who asked me to dance at every opportunity. Choji met the same fate. "

Choji was floating past them with Karui in his arms. Temari had to smile. So many things she didn't know about Shikamaru. Now that she knew about it, she would take the opportunity to dance with him more often. The song passed and made room for a slow song. She actually wanted to sit down again, but Shikamaru was pulling her closer now. She noticed how redness crept onto her cheeks again. It drove her insane how he completely turned her emotional world upside down.

"You might even think you enjoy dancing with me."

"Maybe I do, Temari."

After three dances, he had given over Temari to Kankuro. He sipped his drink and watched the wedding party and especially the two siblings. Temari laughed wildly at something her brother had said. Shortly afterwards the song was over and Gaara was ready for the next dance.

Ino came back sweaty from the dance floor after dancing with Naruto. If he had to bet, Ino was responsible for Naruto learning to dance.

He handed her a glass of water from the table, which she gratefully emptied. Then she took a seat next to him.

"I would say the celebration is a complete success."

He just nodded. Shikamaru wanted to think, and Ino's presence would not make it possible. She would surely ask him again when he and Temari would finally make it official and really didn't want to.

"Why are you still not engaged? Do you have problems that I don't know about? After all, it has been apparent with you two for years. "

"And there we are again," he murmured. "Why should something be wrong with us? Are we making an unfortunate impression on you, Ino? "

Shikamaru couldn't prevent him from sounding annoyed. Only in the meantime a point was reached with Ino's constant inquiries, which just annoyed him.

_Yes, everything was fine between them, even better than that. He had finally confessed her love to her, but unfortunately there is a tiny problem. The Daimyo of the Land of Wind wants Temari to be his daughter-in-law. Too bad, not Ino?_

"I don't know why you're so annoyed, Shikamaru," she said unimpressed, sipping her wine. “As soon as the topic of wedding comes up, you are immediately evasive. Doesn't Temari want to get married? "

He was pretty sure that Temari wanted to get married. He didn't know if she wanted children, but Shikamaru knew she wouldn't say no if he asked her if she wanted to be his wife.

If he told Ino all of that, she would be totally worried and would try to comfort him. But he didn't want to be comforted. He wanted a solution to his problem. Fortunately, his rescue came in the form of Choji and Karui. In an exemplary manner, his friend adjusted the chair for the Kunoichi before sitting down.

"Hey, Shikamaru. Long time no see. How are you?"

"Good, thanks, Karui. Do you like the wedding? "

"I can't believe that the boy I beat up back then grew up and married."

She fished a skewer from Choji's plate and to Shikamarus and Ino's astonishment - at least if he interpreted her open mouth correctly - Choji did not intervene, but let her do it.

"I see Choji looked after you properly," Ino remarked almost too casually. She rested her chin on one hand and leaned closer to Karui.

Shikamaru was sorry that Choji was now in the line of fire, but at least for the time being he was calm.

"In Konoha everyone seems to be able to dance well. As well as in Suna."

Karui nodded in the direction in which Gaara and Temari danced very wildly. He had never seen the Kazekage so exuberant. Kankuro was leading Hinata across the dance floor.

"You don't believe how hard it was to teach Choji and Shikamaru everything," Ino whispered conspiratorially.

Shikamaru decided to avoid the situation. He apologized and asked Sakura to dance. As long as he danced with someone, Ino wouldn't bother him any more.

* * *

When they were finally in bed, a little tipsy in Temari's case, she just wanted to sleep. Dancing for hours was exhausting, even if it was fun. Shikamaru didn't seem to be tired.

His hands certainly weren't accidentally hovering over her body while she was half on him. He was just brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed.

"I would have loved to help you take this blouse off." He underlined this with a gesture on his hand that she could not misinterpret.

"Oh yes?" She reached for his hand and positioned it on her breast. "You can show me what you would have done then."

Interpreting the sharp inhalation, he hadn't expected such a reaction from her. His mouth was looking for hers. As they kissed, he gently turned her aside and pushed her back into the mattress.

* * *

Saying goodbye to Temari was becoming increasingly difficult. Especially since this time he didn't know what bad news she would surprise him with again soon. As always, he brought her and her brothers to the gate. He would have loved to hug her again and kiss her, but he was sure that Kankuro would have struck him down immediately. At the wedding he was too busy to bother Temari and him.

"I wish you a good trip."

"As always, we thank you for everything, Shikamaru."

The three turned to go. Suddenly Temari turned and came running back. She pulled him close and gave him a kiss. His eyes closed automatically. His hands pulled her closer to him.

He didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but long enough for Kankuro "Are you finally coming, Temari?" exclaimed.

"See you soon, Shika."

He stopped until they were no more than dots in the distance. Now it was time to turn to reality again and make sure that Temari was not married to the good of Suna.


	14. Obstacles

The Council of Suna hadn't even waited half a day to remind her of their duties. After the wonderful break in Konohagakure, she was overwhelmed by the burden of her tasks. She endured the long meeting in the hope of being able to breathe deeply in the teahouse afterwards. She was mentally planning to have dinner when Jouseki got up and grabbed the floor.

“During Temari's absence, we made an appointment with the Wind Daimyo. The meeting will take place at the Daimyo's property in a week's time. ”

She looked from Gaara to Kankuro and finally to Baki. None of the men seemed surprised. She didn't know why no one had warned her, but she was about to get up and leave the meeting.

"We had agreed not to set an appointment until Temari was back in Sunagakure," said Gaara emphatically.

"The Daimyo didn't want to wait any longer. Since the wedding should also take place soon, it is all the more important to clarify all the formalities in advance. "

"A week earlier or later makes no difference," Kankuro replied with disgust.

"I was not informed of this," Baki added.

“It is extremely important to tune the daimyo. The Council has already done everything to limit the damage. We're actually far too late. Fortunately, the Daimyo understood Temaris' important position in the Shinobi Alliance. ”

Now Gouza got up too. "Speaking of the Shinobi Alliance, we also have to consider that there is a successor."

"Matsuri." Temari hadn't really wanted to say anything. “I have been training her for years. However, I will not hand over this position to her when I get married. "

She noticed how Kankuro next to her tried to suppress his laugh when the eyes of all Council members fell on her. The meeting would be really interesting now.

* * *

In Konohagakure everything went back to normal after the aftershock of Naruto's wedding had subsided. Shikamaru had last said goodbye to the Kumogakure delegation and was glad that Bee no longer used the whole village for his spontaneous concerts.

One night around three in the morning he decided to make an exclusive appearance for his fans on the Hokage Tower. Kakashi had tried to persuade him to let the concert take place during the day, while some ANBU sent the large crowd back home. When the Raikage finally appeared, he had to be prevented from tearing down the building.

Shikamaru was still dealing with the residents' complaints. Some even asked for autographs. He was throwing the last letter onto a pile when a new notification flashed on his screen. Surprisingly, the news was from Temari.

It was very short, but with the few words she managed to let an ice cold shiver run down his back:

_The council arranged an appointment with the wind daimyo without consultation. I will go there tonight with Gaara and Kankuro. I'll get back to you as soon as I know more._

_I miss you._

* * *

The knife in her hand tirelessly chopped the onions as she imagined to put it one by one of the Suna's elders. She was so angry. Temari hadn't expected to be passed over like that.

She had let herself be lulled by all the bliss in Konoha and completely forgotten how vehemently they tried to get rid of her.

She had no illusions. There was not only one reason why she absolutely had to be married. Gaara was the next goal on the agenda.

She put a pan on the stove and heated it while stirring the eggs. Since they would soon leave to face this ineffable meeting, they had no time for an exuberant dinner. A simple vegetable omelet had to be enough.

She made the portion a little bigger since Baki would join them. He would take care of Sunagakure while she was away and try to find a loophole in the contract. If that was necessary at all.

In front the daimyo, Temari had to make it clear that a wedding was never an option. After the last meeting with the elders, she would no longer compromise. She had always tried to do everyone justice. She had been willing to do anything so that her home village was short of nothing. Only apparently nobody wanted to acknowledge that.

She had to be cleared out of the way because she had too much influence on Gaara and Kankuro. So it was best that she would be married as soon as possible and not to someone from Konoha. Because that would weaken Suna's power.

At least in the eyes of the Council.

She had worked through some of these possibilities with Shikamaru and he had been right. She had hoped he would be wrong once.

The doorbell rang as she slid the first omelet onto the plate. She clung to this form of normalcy. Everything else suddenly no longer seemed safe.

* * *

He had said goodbye early to spend the day with someone who would be happy to see him. After a brief detour to the bakery, he stood in front of Kurenai's house and rang the bell. Shikamaru knew she was in the house at this time since Mirai woke up from her nap.

It took a few minutes for the door to open. From inside the house he heard Mirai screaming loudly. Kurenai looked like she was just wrestling with a bear. Her clothes were crumpled and stained. The hair stuck out wildly. He probably had caught a bad time.

"Hey, I didn't want to disturb you, but I wanted to check on you guys."

"Thank Kami." Without many words, she pulled him into the house. "Mirai didn't want to take her afternoon nap and can't be reassured. She's been screaming all day. She doesn't want to eat either. I already cancelled the babysitter for tonight. I actually wanted to go out to dinner with some friends, but as long as she's on it, I can't expect anyone to take care of her. ”

They arrived in the living room and Shikamaru didn't know what to say.

Mirai lay on the floor, her head red and still screaming. The whole room was in chaos. One of Kurenai's plants had fallen over. Mirai's toys were scattered across the room. Crumbs from a milk roll lay on a blanket.

He could clearly see how much Kurenai had fought her daughter here and clearly lost this fight.

"Mirai, honey. Look who came to visit. " Shikamaru handed the cake to Kurenai and crouched. He made a gesture with his hand so that she could rest for a short while while taking care of the small, tired monster. After all, she had stopped screaming and sat down.

Her eyes sparkled from one second to the next. "MARU!" She jumped up.

Shikamaru took her in his arms and noticed how he immediately felt better.

He didn't know why, but Mirai always had the same effect on him. He never thought he would feel so much for a child. Maybe that was part of growing up.

"Well, my little one? Are not you tired?"

"NO!" She said loudly in his ear. "Wants to play!"

"What are we playing?"

"Horse!" He sighed.

Even though Mirai was little, she seemed to be one of the women who could wrap him around the finger immediately.

As long as she was little, however, he would fulfil her every wish. Even if it meant that she climbed onto his back like now and he would crawl on the floor on all fours.

* * *

After a warm welcome from the daimyo, they had been accommodated in a separate house with many servants who really took care of everything. All the pomp and spacious rooms were unusual for her. Temari had gotten lost so often within the first few hours that she had decided not to move out of her bedroom unless it was meal time.

Kankuro and Gaara entered the dining room, which had space for at least twenty people.

The official meeting was scheduled in two days. Until then, they all had to keep their feet still and that made Temari nervous. She would rather go back to Suna as soon as possible and then plunge into the next Shinobi Alliance meeting. She didn't see any point in wooing the daimyo.

Of course, that was part of her job, but if she was honest, it stank enormously. It was important to pay court to the daimyo a bit. Finally Sunagakure needed the money. But it was not the first time that she questioned this system.

"Do you think the food is still warm when it arrives?" Kankuro made the space just as nervous. "If I need half an hour to get here from my room, the kitchen staff will surely need even longer."

"There are containers that keep the food warm," said Gaara, who looked exhausted.

Since dawn he had made several phone calls with the Raikage and the Mizukage.

The Nukenin were still very active in Kirigakure and they were currently mobilizing all available Shinobi from the different villages. Temari would have been happy to intervene, instead she sat here and had to wait for an useless meeting with the most powerful man of the Land of Wind. Sometimes she hated diplomacy.

"Are you okay, Gaara?" He glanced at Temari, who had sat down at the table to his left.

"Don't worry, Temari. The war was more exhausting. "

"You should still take breaks in between." She saw him roll his eyes.

"Let it go, Tem. I've already told him the same thing. "

Their conversation came to an abrupt end when the meal was finally brought and a cosy silence set in.

* * *

Two days after his visit to Mirai, his friends had met at Naruto and Hinata's for a small celebration. Since it was Naruto's birthday and the anniversary of the end of the Fourth Shinobi War overlapped, they always had a get-together.

They thought of the dead and enjoyed being alive. Hinata had put up a picture of Neji.

Shikamaru knew how much she still missed her cousin. It hurt himself when he thought of how Neji had died. He would always be grateful to him for interposing to save Naruto. His death was still so unnecessary. He would have preferred to sit with Neji now and toast to life.

So that he wouldn't fall into more melancholy, he stepped out onto the balcony. He took a deep breath.

When he reflected on his life, he lacked nothing.

His friends were fine, peace in the world was within reach, he had Temari. Even though the loss of his father was particularly painful on days like these, he knew that their future was secure. Mirai was living proof of this.

It wouldn't be long before all of his classmates would start their own families. He himself had an obligation to his clan as well as Ino and Choji that he would fulfil.

His thoughts wandered again to Sunagakure and the politics there.

He had done everything in his power to know about the legislation and jurisdiction in the Land of Wind. Unfortunately there was too little information available for this in Konoha. Shikamaru had to travel to Suna for better or worse and research there. Another item on his never ending list.

He just wanted his rest.

"Oh, here you are, Shika," said Ino and came up to him. "You don't smoke, do you?"

He sighed.

Ino and Sakura were always the first to take the cigarettes out of his hand when they caught him smoking. Shikamaru had rarely pulled a cigarette after avenging Asuma. He only did this in exceptional situations. He had smoked the last one on Asuma's birthday a year ago. He would do it again this year.

The birthday of his sensei was only a few days away. He had promised Kurenai to come over that day. He couldn't even begin to imagine how difficult it was for her to be regularly reminded by Mirai of what she had lost.

Even if a Shinobi could not hide the constant danger in which he posed himself, one tried nevertheless to convince oneself that everything was in order. Live a normal life.

"I wanted to take a little breath, Ino."

"Well, I brought you a beer." She handed him the bottle and clinked glasses with him.

"For Neji." Ino stood next to him and stroked her arms.

He took off his jacket and put it on her. She gave him a smile.

"I am not that cold," she said.

"I know you. After all, we were on missions often enough. You feel cold quickly. "

Leaning on the balustrade of the balcony, she put her head on her hand.

"You know, it's kind of surreal to be here. It was clear to me that we would eventually become the leaders of our clans, but to do so in an age of seventeen had never been on my life's agenda.” He made an approving sound. "Do you think our fathers would agree with how we take care of everything?"

"Yes," he said firmly. “We have learned the most important things since our birth. Traditions are deeply rooted in our families. I think we're doing the best we can. Are you worried, Ino?"

"I'm worried about you." She turned to him. "You know you can tell me everything, Shikamaru. Even though I'm always incredibly curious, I don't do it to annoy you or Temari. I notice that something is wrong. Did you ask Temari if she wanted to marry you? "

He puts the beer on the parapet. As he slipped his hands into his pocket, he looked up at the stars. Shikamaru knew that he could no longer hide from Ino, what bothered him.

After all, she really meant it well. Like she was worried about Choji, it made her nervous not to know why he was so evasive. He gave her a wry smile before opening his mouth and starting to talk.

* * *

Temari didn't think much of formal occasions. Nevertheless, she knew how important etiquette was so that daimyo would even listen to you in the first place.

Which is why she invested a lot more time in her hair, make-up and clothing than on a normal day. She wanted to represent Suna appropriately. Even though she was mainly wearing skirts and dresses, she felt fairly disguised in the ankle-length linen dress with the fine embroidery. At least she wasn't asked to run around the area in high heels. She was closing the last strap on her sandals when Kankuro entered.

At first she wanted to say something because he just came in without knocking, but then he spoke words that she would never have expected from him: "You are beautiful, Temari."  
She raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently something fell on your head," she remarked and still had to smile. "But thanks. You look good too."

He had removed his face paint and decided on a loose linen shirt with black trousers and a matching vest. Temari thought he could still dress more often.

"I know how hard it is to accept a few kind words from your brother." He crossed his arms and looked at her sceptically. "At least don't think I'll dress like that more often."

He grabbed her arm and placed it in the crook of his arm.

"It would not be formally dressed against the etiquette at my wedding."

"You don't think it is against the etiquette to jump in the face of the wind daimyo because you should be married against your will?"

They stepped out of their room and walked down one of the endless corridors.

"Who would bother about such little things, Kankuro?" She said snappily. "I want to get the meeting over, cancel the contract and then continue to live my life."

* * *

"No," answered Shikamaru Ino's question and sipped his beer. "I have never asked Temari if she want to be my wife."

"But why not, Shikamaru?" Her eyes looked at him questioningly.

Shikamaru tried not to sigh. He knew that there was nothing more romantic for Ino than a planned marriage proposal. Best accompanied by flowers in a restaurant after both had shared the dessert. Then the man would lean forward, take her hand, and ask the question of all questions.

Since she was engaged, Ino seemed to insist even more on trying to persuade all the couples around her to marry with the same penetrance as usual. After the wedding date was set, she was already planning everything down to the last detail.

He was very happy for Ino. That she had found her happiness and had come closer to her own dream of a family. Sai was a good guy and would always take care of her. He also wanted to be able to plan his and Temari's future so carefree.

“Temari needs to clarify some things in Suna that affect her future. If I make a marriage proposal at this point, I will only put her under even more pressure."

Ino took a generous sip of her bright pink cocktail. Shikamaru didn't understand why almost every woman he knew loved this sweet stuff. He was satisfied with a beer every now and then. Sometimes he drank sake. Temari preferred sour, fruity drinks. You could never go wrong with a Mojito or Gin and Tonic. He unconsciously saved such information about her and smiled. As always when he thought of her.

"You're thinking about her again," said Ino. "You are smiling."

He hated how well Ino could read him. He quickly put the bottle back on and emptied it.

"Let's go for a walk," he suggested. "Too many ears are listening here."

* * *

The food had been very pleasant. The daimyo's son - Kana was his name - turns out to be an intelligent, tall man who had engaged her in an interesting discussion. While Gaara and Kankuro were talking to the wind daimyo about various contracts and trade routes, she followed Kana through the huge estate.

He led her into a huge garden with many exotic plants. When they circled a large palm tree, they suddenly stood in front of a seating area with colourful fabric panels that formed a canopy.

All around hung and stood glass lanterns in strong shades of red with contrasting gold ornaments. The tea service consisted of the finest porcelain. The small, thin tea glasses stood on golden coasters.

She could smell the heavily sugared tea. In addition to some plates with traditional mochi and dango, there were also dates and figs on the table. Courteously, Kana waited until she had settled on one of the seat cushions and handed her the tea.

Temari thanked him and looked up at the starry sky. The moon was shining bright. There was no cloud to be seen.

"Now that we're alone, we can be honest with each other, Temari." She picked up one of the dates and waited for it to continue. "I don't want to marry you. You are smart and a real beauty. We could certainly get along very well. But I don't think we would be happy. "

Because of these unexpected words, she choked. "So you want to cancel your father's contract?" Temari was amazed.

There was no way she could blame him. Getting forced into a wedding was never the future she had imagined. Until then, she hadn't even considered that he might have something against it. Undeterred, he took a sip of his tea after dissolving a sugar cube in it.

"What is her name?" Temari wanted to know. "There are certainly many reasons why you could refuse to marry the Kazekage's sister, but only a few that are not absolutely against any logic."

He laughed out loud. She gave him a sly smile. Apparently she had hit the mark.

"You have more mind than my father. But no wonder. I know you did miracles in the Shinobi Alliance.”

Because of the compliment, she actually turned red.

"I'm just doing my job."

"I admire that about you Shinobi so much. You risk your life for the good of everyone in the world and pretend that this is a matter of course.” Kana reached for a stick with dango. “It is certainly not easy to do something like this unless you have people you want to protect. I'm assuming you don't want to marry me either?"

She shook her head. "No, Kana. You really seem to be very nice, but I control my life myself.”

She ate another dried date. The fruits were extremely sweet and dried her mouth. She quickly took a sip of her drink.

"Besides, you also have someone." He emphasized his testimony like a question, apparently undecided whether he could pry so far into her private life.

"Yes," she said, looking longingly at the little cloud that was now sneaking past the moon.

"Tell me about him," he asked. Temari looked at Kana.

"Only if you tell me about the woman who won your heart."

* * *

The moon also shone brightly in Konoha, due to the rather cloudy sky. Shikamaru, who had sat on a jetty with Ino, had been peacefully watching the light play of the clouds.

_Is it a starry night at her place right now?_

When he was in Suna, he didn't miss the clouds. The deep black starry sky with its stars fascinated him in a different way. He could have found beauty in Amegakure in the rain as long as Temari was with him.

"What did you want to tell me, Shikamaru?" Ino leaned her head on his shoulder. It was nice to be able to drop like that in the presence of the other. They trusted each other blindly and he, like Choji, would go through the fire for them.

"Temari was promised to the son of the wind daimyo." Ino sat up straight again and stared at him with his mouth open.

"You won't be spared anything either," she said in astonishment. "Do you and Choji always have to make life so difficult?"

He frowned at her. "What does Choji have to do with it?"

"Didn't you notice how often he's been to Kumogakure lately?"

Shikamaru, who really didn't feel like guessing, frowned even more.

Of course he had noticed. Since Shikamaru regularly distributed the missions himself, it had not escaped him, that Choji always volunteered for Kumo. He just hadn't read more into this. However, when Ino brought this to his attention, this puzzle gave a complete picture.

"Now that you mention it."

He looked at Ino, who looked at him triumphantly.

His brain went through countless possibilities. He had never noticed Choji paying special attention to a woman. Then he noticed with whom he had danced at the wedding. Choji had also asked if he could accompany Shikamaru to the next Shinobi Alliance meeting. For his part, he grinned contentedly.

"Sometimes it takes a long time for you, to be a genius."

Ino rolled his eyes as usual when she pointed out to him that he was just behaving impossible. He knew Ino well enough to know that she was just worried about him and Choji. She had promised Asuma to take care of her and as far as Shikamaru could tell, she was doing a good job.

"That's what I have you for, Ino. You show me when I am particularly stupid. "

Ino laughed. "You don't even know how exhausting it can be with you sometimes."

Then he joined her laugh.

"What are you going to do about Temari, Shikamaru?"

* * *

Kankuro had picked her up after tea. Gaara was still in a conversation with the Daimyo. His forehead contracted, it didn't seem to be going well. Kankuro tapped his thighs impatiently as he sat back down. Temari had sensed that the termination of her contract would not be easy.

"Ah, there she is. My future daughter-in-law. "

She showed the broadest smile that she was able to achieve under these circumstances and looked at Kankuro. Don't ask, he seemed to symbolize her.

"I'm very happy to see you again," she replied, indicating a curtsey.

"As I was told, there seems to be a misunderstanding," said the Daimyo. “The wedding should actually take place in the latest three months. Apparently there was a miscommunication. That's why I proposed to postpone the wedding a little bit. So we have enough time to announce everything and to discuss the important arrangements."

Temari kept her smile, even if she wanted to scream.

"I will not marry your son," she said slowly. "The Kazekage probably did not communicate this clearly enough."

Kankuro bit his lip while Gaara turned pale.

"I have a document here in which the Council of Sunas reaffirmed the contract."

Temari accepted the piece of paper. Someone had put Gaara's signature under it. She wasn't the type to faint, but her eyes went black and her ears rustled. That was not how she had imagined it.

* * *

The trip to Tetsu no Kuni at the end of October was as usual without much fuss.

Shikamaru enjoyed the variety on the way there. He usually made the way back together with Temari. Choji destroyed as many bags of chips as Shikamaru would not be able to eat in two lives.

The times when they both went on missions together had become significantly rarer. While Shikamaru had his duties in Konoha and the Shinobi Alliance, Choji took on all the tasks that led to the rest of the world. Growing up was not only annoying and exhausting on some days, but also tiring.

All the more reason for Shikamaru to be able to spend so much time with his best friend.

"And how did the last mission in Kumo go?" Shikamaru didn't need to ask him directly, Choji also knew that he had caught him.

"How long have you known it, Shikamaru?"

"Since Naruto's birthday party. Ino and I talked. I noticed how often you are in Kumogakure."

Shikamaru was sure that Choji had blushed to the brim. His best friend stopped.

He deliberately didn't turn around. He didn't want Choji to feel even more ashamed.

"I didn't want to tell anything as long as nothing is official," he said barely audibly. "I don't even know if Karui sees more in me than just a friend."

"That's why you wanted to come to the meeting? So I can watch this?"

Shikamaru was anything but a relationship expert. It had been long enough before he had the courage to ask Temari for a date. For Choji, however, it was a completely different number.

Shikamaru knew that Choji didn't see himself as someone who magically attracted women. Again and again they had told him to lose weight.

Only Shikamaru had never done this. He was sure that any woman the Choji would get to know better because of his character would fall in love with him.

"I trust you, Shikamaru. And Ino would have gone directly on the offensive again."

Shikamaru tried to hide the smile that spread across his face. He turned and put a hand on Choji's shoulder.

"She would be stupid not to choose you."

"Thank you, Shikamaru. I owe you one."

* * *

Kankuro had decided to accompany her to the Shinobi Alliance meeting. As they ran across the snow and the wind blew their faces, Kankuro pulled his scarf closer around his face.

He hated the cold even more than she did. He wore a woollen hat next to his thick cloak and had a very long scarf wrapped around his neck. His hands were in fingerless gloves. He had grumbled as usual when she laughed at him about this attire.

"What is Gaara up to now, regarding the contract?" Kankuro made an indefinable sound.

Temari knew that it was no good.

"He has consulted with Baki and he will find out who is responsible for this from the Council," explained her brother. "Gaara definitely didn't put the signature underneath. Baki had previously looked through all the documents that Gaara had to sign as Kazekage. Therefore, either the Council itself or someone acting on behalf of the Council must have acted. In short, the wedding is just here postponed once until mid-year. "

Temari didn't know what to answer. Gaara and Kankuro knew her position. They would do everything so that they would not have to serve as a game ball for political considerations. Only there was no way out of this contract unless she would marry someone else beforehand.

She knew that Shikamaru would not think long and arrange everything immediately. However, she didn't want all of this. He should be free to choose.

A small part of her also wished that things were a little more romantic. Even if she never admitted it. She was also certain that the relationship between Konoha and Suna would suffer.

The best option would be if Shikamaru became a resident and Shinobi of Suna. Only she couldn't do that to him. Far away from family, friends and home. He would miss the clouds. He could no longer do his job. His sacrifice would be significantly larger than hers.

Even if she disliked the thought of leaving Suna forever, she was more detached. She was already incorporating Matsuri as her successor. Kankuro knew about every step she took for Suna anyway.

A trip from Konoha to Suna didn't take that long. In fact, she was only loyal to her brothers and Baki in Suna. Temari still wanted to satisfy the Council.

She knew the solution was obvious, but her heart and mind were divided.

"All in all, I'm pretty stuck," she said a little sadly. She hated it when her voice struck that note.

"Well, unless your genius has a plan," said Kankuro severe.

"Shikamaru not only needs information about our jurisprudence and marriage law, but also has to have the contract. But he doesn't get this information easily when the Council monitors him while he is in Suna."

Even without a statement from him, Temari knew that he had already checked all sources in Konoha that he could find. Shikamaru was no one who could sit still until he solved a problem. She had never really wanted to drag him into this mess. Only time ran like sand through their fingers.

"It's good that I think too." Kankuro patted his pocket. "I have copied and taken away all information from the archives and libraries in the past few days."

She threw herself around the neck of her brother. He wasn't prepared for it and fell into the snow.

"Damn it, Tem. It's cold!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," came from her mouth. "Thank you, Kankuro."

He got up again after Temari released him and tapped the snow off his clothes.

"I can no longer watch this uncertainty eat you up. You are my sister and not just anyone. If Shikamaru manages to solve this problem, nothing will stand in the way of your wedding."

Temari immediately flushed.

With an amused tone of voice, Kankuro continued: "You do not need to say anything. I know that it is not yet time for you. But it will come down to this. So Gaara and I want to give you the opportunity to decide freely."

She kissed Kankuro on the cheek.

Shikamaru had withdrawn to his room after the trip. He had his hands clasped behind his head and was staring at the ceiling, lying on the bed.

He hadn't heard from Temari in days and that made him nervous. If there had been good news from meeting the wind daimyo, she would have contacted him. So he suspected the worst and that scared him. He didn't know how to get more information without bypassing the Sunas Council. Marriage law in Suna and Konoha was very different in some respects. In addition, it didn't seem unusual to contractually promise his children to a spouse at a very early age.

It wasn't like Shikamaru wasn't prepared for all eventualities. He had secured everything with the Hokage, the elders and his own clan. In the next instance he would have to approach the daimyo of the Fire Country and ask for an meeting. He hoped that this would not be necessary.

The door opened and Shikamaru sat up, expecting to see Choji. Instead, he only noticed a few blond hairs before the woman where this belonged threw herself around his neck with full force.

He caught her as always and just held her.

She pressed so close to him that he had the feeling that she would like to crawl inside him. He slowly moved onto the bed and pulled her into a lying position. She pressed her face to his chest. Shikamaru kept stroking her back and hair. Normally she would have stopped him long ago and that worried him even more than usual. He noticed how she trembled.

_Did she cry?_

As if reading his mind, he heard her sobbing. Her hands reached into his shirt. She clung desperately to it. He quickly pulled her closer to him, hoping to comfort her that way. He gave her a kiss on the temple. Shikamaru didn't know how to deal with such situations. Choji was the one who comforted. However, he presented solutions to problems.

"I assume that meeting didn't go so well," he said finally. Instead of answering, she shook her head.

"Kankuro wants to talk to you later," she murmured, looking at him as she wiped the tears from her face. He noticed that his face twitched briefly. Temari grinned at him now with tearful eyes.

"Don't worry, it's not a bad thing. He has a plan and needs your help."

He read the copy of the contract three times and compared each section with Suna's laws. The individual parts came together like a puzzle. The overall picture that formed there did not please him. He was glad to have made some arrangements early on.

However, Shikamaru realized that all of them were of no use if Temari and he did not marry. Again and again it led back to the same topic. It was like they were moving in a circle.

He and Temari hadn't really talked about it before. They were afraid to have this conversation. Because it would inevitably lead to even more questions and further obstacles that they were not yet ready to tackle.

He had never taken the relationship with Temari lightly, for him it had been forever. What bothered him was the constraint they were subject to. Time didn't exactly play into their hands. The longer they waited, the more hopeless the situation became. He also feared losing Temari if he proposed to her now. Like him, she would question his motives.

With a sigh, he put the scrolls aside. Kankuro and Temari had been watching him closely the entire time.

"It's all of no use," he said in his best judgment. "There are only two ways to get out of this contract without getting married to Kana."

He raised his thumb and index finger up to demonstrate.

"Temari officially becomes the Kunoichi of another village and turns her back to Suna, either through marriage or naturalisation to one of the other Hidden Villages."

He twisted his index finger.

"Or Kana marries someone else beforehand and thereby invalidates the contract."

His thumb followed the index finger.

"Damn it," she cussed, burying her face in her hands.

"You sound like you have another idea," Kankuro remarked dryly.

"The other possibility is that I become a resident of Sunagakure and I marry Temari."

Kankuro snorted while Temari looked at him through her fingers.

"You can't do that, Shikamaru," she said. "You have your duties in Konohagakure. Who should become Naruto's advisor? What would Ino, Choji and your clan say if you just leave your home behind? There are also Mirai and Kurenai. Do you want to break the promise to your sensei? I'm not going to let you take on such a big burden. "

"Now let him finish, Tem."

"Do you remember how I told you I was preparing?"

Temari nodded to him and sat up.

“The Hokage has taken the first steps me being naturalized in Suna. The elders in Konoha are also willing to let me go if I provide a worthy replacement. In the Nara clan, I can delegate my duties to someone I consider capable. I think the council in Suna would have been milder overall if Temari didn't move to Konoha, but me to Suna. ”

"You could be right about that." Kankuro nodded and crossed his arms. "Maybe we should discuss this possibility with Gaara."

"No," Temari said. "I don't let my life dictate this contract, nor do I want to force Shikamaru and myself to get married."

She got up and left the room without looking back.

"You tried your best. The rest is up to her, ”Kankuro shrugged.

He hated to admit it, but Kankuro was right.


	15. Romantic

The next morning after breakfast, Temari had withdrawn directly into the room where they were holding meetings.

What started out small at that time and only comprised the five hidden villages had become so big that more and more Shinobi villages were taking part. After Kusagakure and Amegakure had recently joined, others were waiting to be included. In theory, such a new inclusion was pretty easy. An informal request was made, one or two envoys were sent to Tetsu no Kuni on a trial basis and then the permanent members voted for or against. So far, there had only been objections to Otogakure, which Temari thought was right. Therefore, the application had been put on hold for the time being. Nobody trusted Orochimaru or his followers enough to cooperate with them. Maybe sometime later the time was right.

Now, however, Takigakure and Shimogakure's proposals were under discussion. She flipped through the documents Shikamaru had already prepared and tried to clear her head.

Never in her life had she felt as bad as yesterday when she left Shikamaru.

She had to get her mind at ease.

She knew what the solution to all of her problems was: a wedding with Shikamaru.

He loved her and was even ready to move to Sunagakure. Because of her. And that had taken her breath away. He was ready to give her everything while she was just blocking every possibility. She didn't know why she was so vehemently against this solution.

After all, even Kana didn't want to fulfil his father's contract. Temari had started to question herself. Shikamaru hadn't hesitated from the start. He had caught her when she was unsure. He removed all her fear and reacted the right way, that she did not make panicked decisions. He was so much more mature than Temari in these matters. Shikamaru only wanted her. He hadn't just told her that, he had shown it.

_I love you, Temari._

Was love enough to make them both happy?

* * *

"I would like to warmly welcome you to our meeting, especially Shibuki from Takigakure and Masato from Shimogakure."

While Shibuki got up and bowed, Masato greeted those present by raising a hand.

Shikamaru looked around the room and saw that Temari was also there. They hadn't seen each other at dinner or at breakfast, and when he knocked on her door there was silence. He didn't have to be a genius to know why she was avoiding him. The topic of wedding was so heavy on her heart that she needed to distance herself from it.

However, her reaction had briefly unsettled him.

Did she generally reject a marriage or only at that time? Would she say no if he asked her now? He was at a loss and knew that they could only solve this problem if they talked about it. Now, however, he would concentrate on his work first. Morio just stumbled into the room last and made an apologetic hand gesture.

“Now that everyone is there, we can discuss the current missions that are pending. The Mizukage has asked for support from the villages so that the Nukenin can finally be found. Can you give us an overview of the current situation, Chojuro? "

When a break was finally called and people came together in small groups to have lunch, she found herself automatically at Shikamaru's side. He had teamed up with Choji, Karui and the two new members. Kankuro had disappeared with Chojuro and Omoi.

She walked behind the group, which had a lively conversation. She just wasn't up to talking. She would have liked to have had a few minutes with Shikamaru to talk to him. But that was currently impossible. Most people used the hours outside the meeting to ask Shikamaru for a favour. Which is why she was furious when Morio suddenly joined.  
Shikamaru did not show how Morio rubbed him the wrong way and introduced Shibuki and Masato.

"Temari?" Choji had been trying to get her attention for a long time, at least if she correctly interpreted his face.

"Sorry, Choji. I'm a little off track today. ”

"I have a request."

"Sure, how can I help you?" He looked around and leaned down to her.

"I need your help so I can ask Karui for a date."

She held onto his sleeve and smiled at him. Since she'd seen them dance at the wedding, Temari had been convinced that Karui and he would make a wonderful couple. Through Karui herself she had already learned how she admired his dance skills.

"Well, just ask her if she's going to eat with you. That's how Shikamaru did it with me. ”

"But I don't know if she likes me this way, too."

Temari had to hold on to himself not to laugh. Choji had grown dear to her since she got to know him better. He was like a brother to Shikamaru. That's why she would do anything for him.

"Don't worry, Choji. She will definitely say yes. But if you want, I will ask her inconspicuously. "

"Thank you, Temari. Really. I don't want to mess up with Karui. It is really great. "

"You're right. And now we're going to have a meal. "

* * *

The second round of meetings was as straightforward as the first part and Shikamaru was relieved. Morio hadn't misbehaved once. Not even when they had lunch together. No, he had even apologized to him and Temari.

He was handing out a sheet with the agenda for tomorrow on the tables when he heard the door open and close again. Temari leaned against the door and looked in his direction.

He just left the sheets and went to her. She willingly raised her lips to him. Instead of kissing her immediately, he bit her lip and nibbled on it. Her arms wrapped around his neck and with a jump she put her legs around his waist. He inhaled sharply and finally kissed her properly. Her hand got lost in his hair and pulled his hair band out. He didn't know why she was so fascinated by doing this over and over again, but it felt good how she held on there.

When he broke the kiss and removed his face a few inches from hers to look at her, her hand stroked his ear.

"I didn't want to ignore you, Shika," she said softly. "Yesterday everything was just too much."

"I know," he said hoarsely, kissing her again. "But we need to talk urgently."

He heard her exhaling in relief.

"First I have to do something." Her hand stayed on his cheek. The touch was so light that it tickled. "Did you know that Choji likes Karui?"

He nodded. "Did he talk to you?"

"He wants to ask her for a date. So I promised him to talk to her and ask inconspicuously if she would be interested. "

Shikamaru was glad that Choji had addressed Temari with it. He wanted to help him himself as best he could, but he lacked the right connection to Karui. There were other topics in conversations among women.

"Then I don't want to stop you. I'll take care of the preparation for tomorrow a little bit. ”

Instead of letting go of him, she kissed him again.

"I have half an hour left and I plan to spend it with you."

* * *

She had always had a good connection with Karui and, if possible, reserved an evening for her at every meeting. Temari liked that she couldn't keep her opinion to herself and that she really could talk with her about everything. They often talked for hours about the most mundane things. If she had to describe the state of her friendship, she would describe Karui as one of her closest friends.

As always, they had come together to eat in a restaurant and enjoyed the wild hustle and bustle around them. The laughter and exuberant conversations of the people was a blessing. The waitress was just bringing them their drinks, thus starting the cosy part of the evening for the two women.

Temari sipped her gin and tonic and considered how to address the Choji topic when Karui spoke.

"How do you like Choji?"

"He's a great guy," Temari replied. “Shikamaru is very fond of him. Why do you ask?"

Karui played with the straw in her glass and rested her chin on the other hand.

“I had a good time with him at the wedding. He can also dance great. But I had already told you that. I do not know. If he invited me, I would not be averse. "

Temari watched attentively as a little blush crept onto Karui's cheeks. "Maybe he wouldn't be averse if you asked him." Temari leaned back and took a sip.

"That's why he pulled you aside yesterday."

She nodded to her friend. "He's a little shy," said Temari. "So if you signalled him that you were interested, it would be easier for him to bite the bullet."

"The man should actually take the first step." Now Karui folded her arms. "How was it with you and Shikamaru?"

_It had been three weeks since Shikamaru had asked to go on a date and she left for Konoha with mixed feelings. As always, he was waiting for her at the gate so that she didn't have to walk through the village alone._

_Her fears that they would be silent and look shyly at her were completely unfounded. Everything was as always. He asked how her trip went, asked about her brothers and the current events in Suna._

_They finally did a large around his home, he invited her to dinner and then took her to the Hokage._

_But before they entered the office, he briefly pulled her aside. He looked at her with that typical Shikamaru look and raised his hand ashamedly to the back of his neck._

_"Do you have time tomorrow evening?"_

_"For sure." She gave him an encouraging smile._

_"I've reserved a table and would pick you up around six in the evening."_

_"I'd love to, Shikamaru."_

_His sigh of relief could probably still be heard in the building next door._

_The next day was normal. As always, she had sat with everyone on the Chunin Exam Committee and laughed a lot. Whereby she herself noticed how she was hanging on Shikamaru's lips and could not take her eyes off him._

_As soon as she got to her accommodation, the date with him was a new challenge._

_She had packed some clothes in advance and was now at a loss as to what was best for a date. After all, it wasn't just a meal among friends._

_Ultimately, there was not much time left after showering and she opted for her ankle-length, dark dress with the red belt. She quickly put on a little lipstick and there was a knock on the door._

_He was wearing a dark shirt to match his pants and a light, loose shirt over it. His hands were in his pockets, as always._

_"Hey," she greeted him._

_"Are you ready?" She nodded to him and stepped outside._

_The food was extremely good. They talked about work and everything else they could think of. Temari noticed how something had changed._

_When their hands touched accidentally, it was like a tingling sensation through her body. Shikamaru seemed to feel that too. She would never have thought that his closeness would suddenly have such an effect on her. They had known each other for so long, but suddenly she saw him with completely different eyes._

_After the dessert was eaten and Shikamaru paid, he led her to the quieter areas of Konoha along one of the rivers. Of course he put his shirt over her shoulders as she stroked her arms because of the cold._

_"What do you think of sitting down at the water?" She agreed and let him lead him there._

_He was telling a funny story from his childhood, in which Choji and Kiba had been involved in addition to Naruto when a yawn escaped her._

_"Are you tired, Temari?"_

_"No, keep going." She leaned her head against his shoulder._

_He winced briefly, but pulled his hand closer around her waist to make it more comfortable. Temari closed her eyes and listened to his voice. She felt completely comfortable and could get used to being so close to him._

_"You fall asleep right away. Come on. I'll take you home. "_

_He reached out his hand and pulled her upwards. She didn't know if it was intended to hit his chest. Her hands remained clasped and she looked him straight in the eye._

_"It was a very nice evening, Shikamaru," she said softly._

_"Then I reached my goal," he replied gently._

_Her heart was pounding as he bowed his head down to her. She was only too happy to meet him. When his lips lowered down to hers, she didn't care what happened afterwards._

_Nothing had ever felt better. It was exactly right._

* * *

Temari went to see him immediately after their meeting with Karui and continued where they left off in the meeting room.

He was half leaning on Temari, supported on his elbow and looking at her smile. Shikamaru just couldn't get enough of the sight.

Since kissing her for the first time, he never wanted to stop. Her lips were so soft and inviting. A seduction that made it hard for him to resist. Now that she was under him, her hair dishevelled, and the cleavage of her dress did not cover much, as her breast lifted and lowered heavily, it was inconceivable for him to ever let her go. He wanted to stop time to keep that moment forever.

"Have we agreed on a break?" she asked playfully and ran her finger along his cheek.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Then he rolled over to his side. She watched him straighten his pants and lay on his side. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her smile.

"I don't know about you, but if we go on like this, I can't guarantee anything."

Temari laughed softly and did not accidentally stroke her hand over his pants. He couldn't prevent a low moan from escaping him. This woman really made him forget everything.

"But you're probably right. It's late."

When she wanted to get out of bed, he grabbed her wrist.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Add firewood."

"Let me do it." He jumped briskly out of bed and headed for the stove.

"Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you to operate everything except an oven or fireplace," he replied, reaching for the wood from the basket next to the oven. "I didn't forget how you almost burned down your room when we first met with the Shinobi Alliance"

To her shame she turned red and of course he turned his face to her right then. "It wasn't as bad as you portrayed it."

"Your armchair caught fire. The entire property had to be evacuated. You also yelled at Chojuro when he extinguished the fire and hit your fan." He had not only struck an amused undertone, but also raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well. Maybe I really shouldn't be dealing with fire. But it only escalated because I used my wind element to kindle the fire." Shikamaru straightened up after adding enough wood and closing the oven again. She went up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you very much."

"Temari?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you excluding a wedding between us?"

She admired his timing. She almost forgot why she ran away from him and Kankuro yesterday. She was completely lost in the kisses and cuddles they had exchanged, which is why she hurried to Shikamaru after meeting Karui.

She was an absolute master at block out unpleasant things. In fact, she was so good that, while in Konoha, she had been able to ignore almost completely what was happening in the Land of Wind and had a lasting impact on her future.

According to his controlled expression, he was completely agitated inside. Shikamaru was a strategist and if the situation required, he could keep his emotions under control. That he thought it was necessary, told her how insecure he was. An uncertain Shikamaru made her nervous again. Since at least one of them had to stay in control and it was her responsibility to make Shikamaru feel like this, she swallowed all her fears and concerns.

Her hand linked with his.

"I would marry you immediately, Shikamaru," she said softly and put her other hand on his cheek. "You wouldn't even have to ask me. I trust you completely. I want nothing more than a future with you. But as the situation is, I don't want to force it. I want to make my own decision without the pressure behind it to free me from a contract. Do you understand that? "

He nodded, she still could see the shadow in his eyes.

"Losing you would be the worst thing I can imagine, Temari."

_I love you, Temari._

"I'm talking to Kana. And if there's no other way out, we'll get married." He laughed and it shook all over his body. "What's so funny?"

"It wasn't exactly a romantic marriage proposal." She opened her mouth in shock.

"You idiot!" she uttered. It just shook him more with laughter, so he had to sit down.

"You love me," he said when he had calmed down again.

"I didn't say that. I just agreed with you that we're getting married."

He wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "I'm excited to see how you want to explain that to our children."

"So we are also going to have children now?"

The conversation now took a turn that she hadn't considered at all. Fortunately, he didn't seem to resent this question, but grinned mischievously at her.

"Well, do you want Ino to pester you further? At least one child would be appropriate for the head of the Nara clan. I wouldn't mind a son."

She pulled her hand away from him and crossed her arms under her chest. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"So if you ask that, I also wouldn't mind stating that my wife can only yell at me once a day and greet me with a smile every morning." He dodged her when her hand wanted to hit him lightly on the arm. He laughed again.

"You pretend I'm the scariest woman you've ever met."

"Tiring," he remarked, jumping up from the armchair as she tried to pounce on him. "And definitely violent."

"At least I'm not a crybaby!" This comment made him laugh even more and grin at her.

Temari would rather have voluntarily moved into the Demon Desert than admitting that she also enjoyed the conversation. Then she remembered something.

"Tomorrow, during our lunch break, I'll redeem my bet. We're fighting against each other."

* * *

The news that Temari and Shikamaru would fight each other caused a lot of excitement in the ranks of all ambassadors the next day. Shikamaru had to call to order several times and remind everyone involved why they were here in the first place.

He got to know how bets were made. Not only on the outcome of the fight, but also whether their relationship would continue, on what techniques they would use and when he would give up. All in all, they seemed to think he was a capable strategist but a failure in battle.

It was of course a bit scratchy on his ego that he was not trusted to win against Temari. Shikamaru also didn't know how she would react if he won.

He had postponed the second round of meetings in the afternoon to the next day for the fight. At first he was sure that everyone wanted to watch Temari and he fight each other. Then the concentration of everyone would suffer under guarantee because it already did so. Third, he didn't know how long their fight would take and he was the last one to want to hold their meetings late into the night. It was better to be safe than sorry.

Therefore no one protested when he ended the meeting earlier so that they could all eat something before watching Shikamaru being beaten up by Temari. At least that seemed to be everyone's wish.

Unfortunately, he would have to disappoint their expectations. He had no intention of losing.

She had set up her fan next to her in the snow and rested her hand on it while Shikamaru warmed up briefly. He was in a crouch, alternately stretching his legs forward to prepare them. Then he did the same left and right again. He hopped from one leg to the next and bowed to one side. When he moved up again, her patience was at an end.

"Ready at last, Nara?"

"Sure, princess."

For that alone he deserved to be hurled across the forest. She lifted her fan up and unfolded it completely. He had wanted it that way, after all.

Shikamaru had known from the start that he had to limit her range of motion so that he had a chance. But that was a difficult task if you knew each other inside out. Too often they had been on missions together. Fought side by side. So he had to pull a tactic out of his hat that she wouldn't be able to see through quickly. Since Temari wasn’t anyone, he had to wrap his plan in several sleeves so that it didn’t get behind it immediately.

She lifted her fan up and started to attack, when Shikamaru reached into his pocket with both hands and threw smoke bombs in her direction on the left and Kunai on the right with mock paper bombs.

He didn't expect her to fall for it, but with two diversions at once he could get out of her sight. As expected, she swept the smoke aside with a powerful swing of her fan and ignored the Kunai.

He took the opportunity to run sideways towards her. He threw three kunai again, this time behind them. He landed in front of her with a jump. She smiled triumphantly at him and didn't seem to notice the hiss of the paper bomb he was using this time. He dropped to his knees and tried to kick her legs away, so she folded her fan, rammed it into the ground, and used a turn to avoid his kick.

As she pulled the fan with her and jumped over it, he pulled out his chakra blade. He turned on his foot and threw it where Temari would land. He quickly formed the finger marks for his Kagemane no Jutsu, wisely, careful that she couldn't see him doing it. Shikamaru was certain that she would be trapped. But instead of landing where the blade was, she just landed nearby with her feet and jumped back out of reach. His extended shadow tried to catch her, but of course she was prepared for it.

She opened her fan again in a fluid movement. Temari climbed on it and now hovered half a meter above the ground using her chakra to balance on it. It would have been the perfect opportunity for him to use his jutsu to take control of the fan.

Instead, he jumped up and narrowly escaped the explosion behind him through the paper bombs.

For that, Temari seemed to have miscalculated a little. She might be outside the bomb's flames, but the blast caught her anyway. He heard her swear as she fell from her fan because the shock was more severe than expected.

Shikamaru supported himself on his knee and did not hesitate for long. He concentrated his chakra and formed several shadow hands to catch the Temari. Even when they were fighting, he didn't want to seriously injure her.

Once he was sure that she was fine, he put her on the floor and prevented her from moving by pinning her to the floor with the shadow.

"I win," he announced. Temari commented with a snort.

The crowd around them cheered and raged.

"You can challenge me to revenge."

"You could finally release me from your jutsu."

"Not yet."

He saw her eyes widen as he tilted his head towards her and kissed her. He didn't care who was watching. He noticed the whistles of the people around her, but when he released her from his jutsu and pulled her head closer with her hand, there was only her and nothing else in the world.

* * *

"You did a pretty good show," said Karui when Temari and Shikamaru broke up and joined the rest of their group.

The men not only congratulated Shikamaru for his victory, but also made rather suggestive remarks. Temari literally dragged Karui after her so that she didn't hear more of it. She couldn't even be angry with Shikamaru for taking her by surprise. He could kiss incredibly well, which is why she liked to take every opportunity to do so. Only this shouldn't have happened in public.

Morio might be acting inconspicuously, but Temari hadn't missed how angry he looked. They turned onto the next street and walked past the various shops and stores without even realizing it.

"I would be much more interested in whether Choji asked you for a date," Temari tried to divert the conversation that started.

"Sure, last night. We'll have breakfast together tomorrow."

That was very good news. She had quickly caught Choji yesterday and instructed him to ask Karui, since she was definitely interested. Because he had to do the rest alone - possibly with a little push through Shikamaru. She trusted Choji was up to the task.

"But let's not distract from the subject. Is Shikamaru as good at other things as kissing?"

"Karui!" she uttered.

"So in your reaction you haven't slept with each other yet," she stated matter-of-factly. "Is there a reason for that? Because if we're honest, the kiss you just exchanged was really hot."

Temari was sure that her head was glowing. When the next tea house came in sight, she directed Karui into it.

"I'll tell you everything, Karui. But for Kami's sake lower your voice."

"Go ahead," answered the Kunoichi from Kumogakure.

* * *

Choji looked like he might either pass out in the next second or throw up.

None of the options satisfied Shikamaru and if he was honest, he just considered closing the door in front of him, as six o'clock in the morning was not the right time for high levels of thinking and certainly not advice on love matters. Besides being in his bed with Temari and being able to lie next to her for an hour or two before the hustle and bustle of the day caught up with him, it was much, much more tempting than changing and walking with Choji through the cold snowy landscape of the Iron Country.

But besides the point that Choji was his best friend, there was another reason why he didn't just leave him there. He wanted Choji to be as happy as he was. Shikamaru had never thought he was lacking anything. Then he had kissed Temari and everything had changed.

So he asked him to wait outside while he quickly got dressed and informed Temari. She mumbled incomprehensibly into her pillow after he informed her that he was going for a short walk with Choji and had already fallen asleep when he quietly closed the door.

"I can't do it, man," Choji repeated for the third time in a row without specifying exactly what he meant.

Shikamaru tried to get his head to work to figure it out, but he was still mentally with Temari lying in his bed. Where he better would've stayed.

"But you wanted a date with Karui?"

Choji hem and haw, causing Shikamaru to almost burst out his anger. He was tired and hadn't eaten or drunk anything. The cold wind blew around their faces and legs. If he was woken up and dragged out of bed at such an inhumane time, he wanted to hear clear, understandable words from Choji's mouth. Even if he loved Choji like a brother, he was only partially willing to suffer.

"Choji, what's your problem exactly? I'd like to help you, really, but if you don't tell me how, I'll turn around and go back to sleep."

At least that seemed to work, because now he stammered out words that were suspiciously sounded like "What if she expects a kiss?"

Shikamaru had expected everything, except this.

Which is why he uttered a rather astonished "What?"

Choji cleared his throat. "I saw you kissing Temari yesterday. And she seemed to like it."

So that was bothering him. Choji had previously thought of a relationship in theory. Shikamaru's action had made him realize that dream and reality were two different things.

"It took quite a while for Temari and I to get to this point, Choji."

"You told me back then that you kissed her on your first date." He briefly ran a hand through the hair he had forgotten to tie up with a hair band. Choji had to calm down. Urgently. Otherwise his first date would be a disaster.

"The difference is that I have known Temari for years. Even before we were in a relationship, we always went out to eat and work together. I knew that a kiss was right at that moment. Karui and you are in the process of being one another point. "

The words from Shikamaru's mouth didn't seem to convince him completely.

"What if I wanted to kiss her?"

"Then you kiss her. You can tell exactly when the time is right. Don't be afraid. It will happen on its own."

Choji let his shoulders drop with relief. "I have one more question, Shikamaru. How does it feel to kiss someone?"

Now Shikamaru smiled. "How does it feel when you eat your favourite chips? Kissing is a thousand times better."

* * *

Since both Choji and Karui were late for their meeting, Temari concluded that their date had gone well. She would have loved to observe both of them a little longer and longer, but she had been appointed secretary for the first part of the meeting and had to record everything that was discussed. Morio was assigned to her as a deputy. Usually, she didn't need to be that observant, but oddly, he was absent. Shikamaru kept looking at the empty place he normally sat on and frowned.

"Does anyone have any idea where Morio is?"

Akeno from Amegakure spoke up. "He didn't look good at breakfast this morning. I think he's sick."

"Good. Then we'll start without him. I'll have a look at him during the break. Who will be Temari's deputy?" Karui raised her hand.

Shikamaru quickly handed her a pen and a scroll.

"Then Omoi can begin to explain how Kumogakure wants to teach Shinobi from other villages the basic techniques for lightning-based jutsu."

Until the midday, everything went in an orderly fashion. Each envoy from the large, hidden villages explained in detail how they envisioned the training sessions and left enough space to adapt the plan. Only when it came to the lecture from Iwagakure did they have to postpone it because Morio still hadn't shown up. Temari had just finished her talk and they wanted to take a break earlier, when the door was opened violently.

The lost sheep of their round came in and pulled an alcohol scent behind them. The red, puffy eyes, the crooked clothes and the missing headband rounded off the picture. Morio wasn't sick, he was just hungover.

"Nice to see that you are better," Shikamaru greeted him. "If you briefly explain the training plan for your village to us, we can work out the details and present the Kage this afternoon."

"I'm not done yet," he grumbled.

Temari knew there were few things Shikamaru didn't like. Morio had fulfilled two of them at once. He had not appeared on time, nor had he signed off from him. Besides, he hadn't done his job. Shikamaru could live with delays. As long as they were communicated to him. Morio hadn't. Be it stupidity or ignorance or even to provoke Shikamaru. Only someone who knew Shikamaru well knew that he was about to explode. Temari looked at Choji, who was looking intently at his friend.

"So we take a break. Then we listen to Morio's talk and work out a final version," said Shikamaru coldly. "Everyone except Morio can go."

He had to stay calm and under no circumstances should he start screaming. Shouting at Morio would only make him win and look triumphantly at Shikamaru. He had to stay professional. Later he could still go into the forest and throw a round of shuriken.

"Sit down, Morio. Then we can finish the plan together."

"I do not need your help."

"Then after the break I expect a plan from you." Shikamaru started to turn when Morio placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't deserve her."

"What did you say?"

"You don't deserve a great woman like Temari. You don't treat her as she should be. "

So he hadn't misheard. After arriving too late, Morio not only had the audacity to be unprepared. No, now he wanted to get involved in his private life. Kissing her in front of everyone yesterday was not a good idea. Only she had looked stunning again. His feelings had taken over and it was only supposed to be an innocent kiss on the lips. That Temari then deepened.

"I don't know why my relationship should bother you, Morio."

Morio opened his mouth and probably wanted to say something else, but then Kankuro came back into the room.

"Hey, Shikamaru. We wanted to go to this fish restaurant. Are you coming with me?"

"Just a moment, Kankuro." He turned to Morio again. "I expect you to finish in two hours or I will report to the Tsuchikage."

He left the startled Morio and followed Kankuro outside.

* * *

After the break, Morio had actually done it and finished working on his talk. Even if the mood was a bit depressed, they made progress even faster than Shikamaru had thought. When dusk was slowly approaching at five o'clock and they had not only worked out a comprehensive plan for each village, but had even been able to establish a rotation for the coming year, Shikamaru was not only relieved, but downright euphoric. The last agenda of that day was how to deal with the requests from Shimogakure and Takigakure. Shikamaru first gave the floor to Shibuki.

“First of all I would like to thank you for the warm welcome. I have admired the work of the Shinobi Alliance for years and have struggled with myself for a long time. Ultimately, I leaped the fence. Some of you surely still know Fu. At that time she had completed her Chunin exams under Shikamaru and Temari. Unfortunately Akatsuki attacked her and we all know what happened afterwards. ”

There was an abashed silence across the room. Shikamaru remembered Fu too well. She had been like Naruto. Only afterwards did they learn that she had been a Jinchuriki.

“If Fu had known that all Shinobi formed an alliance, she would have been full of enthusiasm to be one of the first to agree to participate. She really wanted to meet new people and make friends. So I want to emphasize how Takigakure would like to join the Alliance.”

He bowed deeply to everyone present and only sat down again when Shikamaru gave the floor to Masato. His speech was no less enthusiastic and, after no objection, both villages became official members.

“This concludes the meeting for this month. The last meeting for this year will take place next month. So please prepare well. See you later."

Morio was one of the first to leave the room and Shikamaru was relieved.

"I'm going to get some fresh air. Are you going to pick me up? ”Temari spoke to him.

"For sure."

She winked at him again and left the room. When there was finally no one left, he dropped into his chair and took a deep breath. At last all of his duties were done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to thank everyone to raise the number of kudos over 80...I didn't expect this much love from you guys.
> 
> Tell me what you think about this chapter in the comments. :)


	16. The Assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: This chapter contains physical abuse/ an assault and the after-effects

Temari closed her eyes and inhaled the cold, sharp air.

Her head was spinning after hours of discussion. She was glad how calm everything was. Only in between could you hear a slight rustling when a branch bent under the weight of the snow and threw it off. Little clouds of her breath rose from her mouth. Had she not been so exhausted, she would likely have noticed sooner that someone was nearby. So she only noticed his presence when he hugged her from behind.

"Did you follow me?"

"I'll follow you everywhere, Temari."

It wasn't Shikamaru speaking, but Morio. She wanted to free herself from his grip, but failed. Temari might be a trained kunoichi, but he was trained as well and also a man.

_"I win, I win!"_

_Kankuro jumped up and down after wrestling her to the ground and forcing her to give up. It only took her a moment to get up and pounce on him. When she tried to slap him in the face, Baki stopped her by grasping her wrist._

_"Never hit anyone in the face unless you really need to. There are a lot of bones there and you can get hurt," he said. "And you don't act like a fool anymore, Kankuro. A real fight is about surviving, not winning."_

_She tore herself away from Baki and stormed out of the training hall._

_Baki finally found her on the roof of the Kazekage mansion. She sat on the parapet and sporadically drank from her bottle. She watched the village while the sky slowly turned to night._

_"Why can't I win against Kankuro?"_

_"You are strong Temari, but he is a man."_

_She looked at him angrily. "Where's that wimp a man?"_

_Baki couldn't quite suppress laughing at these words._

_"I mean biologically, Temari. No matter how trained you are, he will always be superior to you because he has more muscles than you."_

_"So I can never win against him?"_

_"Yes, and I'll show you how."_

Since Morio wasn't about to just let go of her, she leaned forward with a swing and pulled him with her. He probably didn't expect to fly upside down.

Temari was just on her feet when he flew into the next pile of snow. Of course she didn't have a kunai or other weapons with her. So escape was a better option. She had to inform Shikamaru immediately.

She ran back towards her accommodation with quick steps.

The next moment she slipped on a slippery spot in the snow. Her knee twisted and unluckily she fell on her wrist. She thought she heard something crack. The pain paralyzed her for a moment.

"That's what you get from fighting me!" roared Morio.

He grabbed her cloak and pulled her up. She wanted to punch him, but he twisted her already throbbing wrist with the precision of a shinobi.

Temari cried out in pain and went down on her knees.

"You didn't want it any other way," he said and reached out with his hand.

* * *

Shikamaru just stepped out of the accommodation with Choji, Karui and Kankuro to follow the others into the next bar.

The last evening after the Shinobi Alliance meeting was always particularly fun and informal. Even if there had been heated discussions beforehand, they sat together in the evening and exchanged views on private topics. It was completely irrelevant which villages they came from. He always appreciated the fact that they were able to build bridges outside of their professional situation.

"It's a shame that we have to go home tomorrow," remarked Karui and smiled at Choji. "I like the snow and the company."

Immediately a shy smile crept onto Choji's face, for which Shikamaru was more than happy. He didn't have to do much to bring Choji and Karui closer together. The interest was definitely mutual. Maybe his friend needed a little nudge in the right direction, but all in all Shikamaru was confident.

"Do you really think so? I think it's awful here, " said Kankuro, who hadn't noticed at all that the comment wasn't meant for him. As if to confirm, he put on a cap and gloves as they stepped outside.

"If I didn't know that you are actually quite nice, your words would have hit me," Karui replied.

Kankuro grinned grimly. "Give me a drink right away and I'll be in a better mood."

Karui laughed at that.

Suddenly a scream cut the silence. When Shikamaru looked in the direction from which the scream was coming, he did not have a conscious thought, but just ran.

He could hear the others following him.

* * *

He had pulled her up and made her look at him.

Since her eye was swollen shut, she couldn't read the expression on his face. Morio looked at her like a hawk was looking at its prey. Whatever he was up to, she knew she wouldn't like it.

"If you had just cooperated, none of this would have been necessary."

Temari didn't know how to help herself anymore. She was dizzy.

Suddenly a blade slid between them and aimed precisely at the spot where Morio's pulse was pounding.

"Let go of her."

Temari knew this voice, even if she hadn't heard it in years. Before she could look in the direction, however, Morio released her from his tight grip. She couldn't keep her balance and stumbled backwards. Her back hit something solid.

"Got you." Shikamaru lifted up her legs, which now finally failed her, and pressed her to him. Then he turned to her saviour. "Thanks, Sasuke."

Morio stopped, his eyes fixed in panic on the man whose Sharingan glared at him threateningly. He was probably never told by anyone not to look an Uchiha in the eye. Seconds later he fell over when he was the victim of a genjutsu.

Then there was Sanshōuo and Kankuro imprisoned Morio in it.

"Is everything okay, Temari?"

She nodded to Kankuro and then burst into tears.

* * *

Shikamaru was furious. He didn't dare to look at Temari or back where Kankuro, Omoi and Chojuro took care of this nasty little rat named Morio together with Sasuke. His hands squeezed too hard, which Temari justifiably commented with a sound of pain.

"Sorry."

Karui finally spoke to him and suggested that Temari be brought to her room.

He followed her in silence, while his head ran through numerous possibilities of what would have happened if Sasuke had been late.

They stepped over the threshold and he gently laid Temari on the bed.

"Shall I stay with you?" She shook her head.

He looked her in the face for the first time and noticed how her right eye was swollen shut.

Shikamaru had to fight the tears. Temari looked so scared and didn't seem to know what to do with her hands. Her whole body was trembling. Whether from shock or from the cold, he couldn't tell.

What had that bastard done to her?

If it had been up to Shikamaru, he would have choked him with his jutsu until he begged for forgiveness. Apparently you could see that intention on his face because Temari winced.

He wanted to take her hand, but she pulled it away. It hurt him. Not because she rejected him, but that it was completely atypical for Temari to react like that. Otherwise she wasn't afraid of him.

"A shower will definitely do you good now," said Karui and smiled at Temari.

"Yes, please."

"I'll be back later."

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Again she winced briefly, but at least she tried to smile at him. That was a start.

Now he had to deal with the chaos first. After that, he would hopefully be able to fix that between himself and Temari. He wouldn't let it traumatize her because an idiot couldn't control himself.

* * *

She just needed rest. As she stood in the hot shower and lathered her hair, she tried to ignore the burning sensation on her open knees. Her right knee was twisted from the fall and it was exhausting to stand on. Her left wrist hurt when she moved, as she found out as she tried to spread the shampoo behind her ears. Various abrasions of the skin on arms and legs rounded off the picture of complete destruction. She hadn't dared to look in the mirror. Her eye would look absolutely creepy.

Morio had kissed her and let his disgusting hands wander over her body, hit her and pulled her hair, but luckily nothing more happened. Her bile came up when she remembered his gross breath.

She knew how some men thought. Not everyone had good intentions. And she blamed herself for not paying attention. She rinsed off the soap and didn't know if the tears came from running it into her face.

* * *

His first path did not aim to the other members of the Shinobi Alliance, even if it was actually his job to calm the people right now. He walked past the questioning faces and did not listen to the calls of his name.

The forest was his goal. He needed to punch a tree.

At least he put on his gloves. He gained momentum and delivered the first blow. The next followed at a faster pace. Each blow was accompanied by a scream that turned into an angry growl.

Soon he was out of breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

"Better?" asked Kankuro, who had obviously been watching him the whole time.

"Yes," he said hoarsely.

"How is she doing?" He closed his eyes and took off his gloves.

"I have no idea."

"Hmph", Kankuro said and came towards him. "Do you at least have any idea what he did to her?"

He shook his head. "She didn't speak much and winced from being touched."

"Let's go have a drink," suggested Kankuro and put a hand on his shoulder. He had never done that before.

"Did Sasuke already say what he wanted here?"

"Some mission. You can ask him yourself. I never thought I'd ever be grateful to that bastard."

* * *

After she came out of the bathroom, Karui had already put out fresh clothes for her.

She caught the sharp scent of herbs. Without urging her to do anything, she prepared bandages and waited until Temari spoke to her. She was so grateful for this little gesture that she had to fight back tears again. It took a while, but then she pulled on her shirt and loose pants and hobbled over to the armchair in front of the fireplace.

"The shower was a good idea."

"With all the wind and snow, a hot shower works wonders." Karui turned to her and took the jar with the ointment in her hand. “The ointment helps with bruises and cuts. Do you want to apply it yourself? Or should I help you? "

"I think I need help," she reluctantly admitted.

She needed to use a mirror for her face and she wasn't ready to face this sight now. Since she didn't want to talk anymore, she just showed Karui the places that hurt her the most. The Kunoichi conscientiously distributed the ointment on her face, her wrist and the severely swollen knee and finally wrapped a supportive bandage around it.

“You don't have to be strong now, Temari. I'm the only one here. "

She didn't want to cry. Morio wasn't worth these tears. He deserved very different things.

Still, it was comforting when Karui hugged her.

* * *

Shikamaru had made sure that Morio was put under supervision and that all Kage were informed. He sat next to Kankuro and Choji and held onto his beer. He didn't know what to do. Actually, he wouldn't have felt bad about beating Morio up. Kankuro seemed to have the same thought. Chojuro sat down next to him and ordered a round of sake for everyone.

"Here," he said and pushed the glass towards him. Shikamaru reached for it and drained the glass in one gulp. He wanted to forget what had happened. Temari's scream echoed in his head.

That bastard was just waiting for an opportunity like this. They would all return home tomorrow, but he didn't want to let Temari go alone. He had no idea how badly she was injured. His hand tightened on the beer bottle.

"Shikamaru, you couldn't help it," Choji tried to calm him down.

"I knew he was after her," he replied. "Months ago he said quite frankly that he was into Temari."

Kankuro made a scornful tone.

"There is a problem?" Shikamaru asked him and gave him a challenging look.

"No, not at all. Only you could have made sure that he was replaced a long time ago. So you're right: it's your fault."

He jumped up from his chair, as did Kankuro. Choji grabbed his arm like Chojuro grabbed Kankuro. They exchanged angry looks. Shikamaru was just tired of hearing such stupid comments from Kankuro all the time. His feelings were eating him up anyway.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't fight," remarked a woman's voice. Karui stood in front of them, hand on her hip.

"How is Temari?" asked Chojuro.

"According to circumstances," she replied. "She wants to see you." Karui nodded to Shikamaru and Kankuro.

* * *

Temari had a blanket over her shoulders and was sitting on an armchair in front of the fireplace. She had bent one leg and hugged it with her arms. Her chin was on her uninjured knee. She had put an ice pack underneath. Her jaw ached.

The crackling of the fire was the only sound in the room. The silence scared her. Hopefully Karui hurried.

In her life she had rarely had moments of fear. Most of all, she had never been afraid of men. Now that Morio had attacked her, she felt panic. Her heart raced because of the unknown dangers. She wanted out.

The door opened suddenly and she couldn't stop herself from flinching. Karui was back and returned with her brother and Shikamaru. Kankuro took quick steps towards her. He knelt down in front of her and just looked at her. She took his hand. Immediately he grabbed it with both hands.

"You're freezing cold, Temari," he whispered.

"We're in the middle of the snow and I'm a woman. Of course I'm cold," she replied angrily.

Apparently he was hoping for such a reaction because he smiled at her.

"Can I get you anything? We can get drunk in the bar."

She was grateful for his offer, but she didn't want to show herself in public like that. Her arms were scratched, her jaw was throbbing painfully, and then there was her black eye. Not to mention that she could only limp.

"Not today. I have a headache and would like to lie down right away." He nodded.

"Do you have any other wish?"

"Can we leave tomorrow together with Shikamaru and Choji? We have the same route and I would welcome their company."

"Of course, anything you want, Tem."

"Thank you, Kankuro." He got up and kissed her on the forehead. He had never done that before. Apparently she looked pretty vulnerable and pathetic right now. "Then go to sleep."

With one last look at her, he left the room. Temari looked back into the fire.

"Can you please leave us alone, Karui?"

Karui put a hand on her shoulder. "Of course," she said gently. "If you need something, I'll be there anytime."

She heard the door close. Temari closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth.

Now that she was alone with Shikamaru and for the first time in her life she did not feel comfortable with it.

Shikamaru's heart stabbed him painfully. He didn't know what to say or do. He had noticed how Temari flinched when they entered the room. He must have made a noise because she was looking at him.

"Don't stand there, Shikamaru," she rumbled off. "That makes me nervous."

He swallowed and stepped up to her. Then adjusted the stool that belonged to the armchair and positioned itself in front of her. Not knowing exactly what to say, he just started talking. Perhaps this would release the tension that was palpably flying through the room.

"Morio is currently sitting securely in a cell. Chojuro is taking with Omoi and Karui to bring him to Iwagakure." She nodded. "I had to let the Kage know."

"Good," she said flatly.

"Are you all right Temari?"

She turned her face to him. Now he could not only see all the shades of her blue eye, but also the swelling on her lower jaw. There was a small crack on her lower lip. She didn't look at him, but focused on a point behind him.

He would cut Morio into small slices.

"You tell me." Her voice was stronger now and challenged him to say something.

Instead, he moved closer to her and traced the contours of her face with his fingertips. She looked at him now, watched the movement of his eyes. Finally his hand stopped on her cheek. His thumb brushed her cheekbone.

"You are ashamed because you were attacked even though you are strong," he whispered. "Besides, you want to apologize for making so much fuss. You don't know whether you want to be alone right now or whether I should stay. You feel uncomfortable when I touch you because you are tense from head to toe. That's why you hate yourself especially because your body switches to defence and flight. "

He could see the first tear making its way to her chin. She cried almost silently. He held his hand on her cheek and waited. The tears soon dried up and she reached for his hand.

Temari got up and dragged him to her bed. He let her guide him. She pushed him gently against the chest and motioned for him to sit down. Shortly afterwards she sat down on his lap and kissed him gently, then more and more demanding. He carefully cupped her waist so she wouldn't fall and kissed her back. Finally she let go of him and rested her head on his shoulder. She pulled him tight and sighed loudly.

"Are you staying here tonight?"

"For sure."

Again her lips searched for his and even if he felt uncomfortable touching her because he didn't know where she was hurt, he let himself in for it. He only became suspicious when Temari suddenly became more exploratory and not only wanted to get rid of his clothes by taking off his sweater without further ado, but also grabbed the hem of her top and wanted to pull it over his head.

He grabbed her hands.

"Stop, Tem. What are you doing?"

"I thought that was pretty obvious." He sighed.

All the months he longed for that moment and then he had to be the one to put a stop to it all. A small part of him cursed himself for his decision, but there was no way he wanted it to happen now. She longed for feeling him. He could understand that perfectly. He wanted to wrap her up in a blanket to protect her from all the evil the world held in store. Only he wouldn't sleep with her under any circumstances, while they were both still so upset by all the day's events.

"No not like this." He gently lifted her off and put his sweater back on. "You are not doing well. You are in pain and feel horrible. It should be a nice experience for you. For both of us."

"Go," she said coldly. "If you're not man enough for it then get out of here."

"Let's talk about it, Temari. Please."

"No. I want to feel good. To be close to you. I thought you want it too."

He ran his hand through his hair. Was she completely mad now? Was that how she had imagined it? That wasn't the Temari he knew.

"Today you were attacked by a man and he messed you up. Do you want me to do the same to you? I love you, Temari. I would do anything for you, but I won't have sex with you today. You do not want it this way. I know that. I know you." She turned away from him.

"Go please, Shikamaru. I don't want you near me."

He heard her crying again. Her voice was trembling. Instead of leaving, he just sat there. She shouldn't be alone. It took a while, but then she turned back to him and threw herself into his arms.

“I-I'm-sorry. I-I-feel so awful right now."

He cradled her in his arms until she fell asleep exhausted. Then he carefully placed her on a pillow and covered her with a blanket.

* * *

It was quiet outside. When his lighter clicked, it was Shikamaru as if it were echoing through the whole village. He seldom smoked. In fact, he had stopped altogether, but sometimes, like on days like these, it helped him think. So far he hadn't had time to process what had happened.

Tomorrow he would meet Morio and inform him of the Gokage's decision. He had no idea how to do it without punching him.

The rustling of his cloak blow Sasuke's cover. Shikamaru had no idea how he moved so silently that you only noticed him when he was right next to you. Since he didn't know what Sasuke wanted from him, he took a few more puffs on his cigarette. He would talk if he had something on his mind.

"I was gathering information for Kakashi." He took out a scroll and handed it to him.

"You could come with me to Konoha and hand it over yourself," Shikamaru replied and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Naruto and Sakura would definitely be happy."

"Hn."

"Shall I deliver something else?" Sasuke shook his head. He hadn't expected anything else.

"How is she?", Sasuke suddenly asked and looked at him.

Shikamaru was more than surprised that Uchiha Sasuke was interested in the concerns of others. He turned his head to him in surprise. As always, his expression was blank. No longer cold and disinterested as before, somehow softer, somehow different and still an expression that only Sasuke could manage.

"According to the circumstances," he replied. "She is strong."

"I'll keep an eye on Iwagakure."

"Thank you."

It wasn't a personal favour, but something Sasuke would do anyway. If he sensed a threat to peace in the world, he would investigate it. He also knew why Sasuke was doing this. He wanted to repent, make the world a better place, and pay his debt. To create the peace that his brother could not bring about.

There was no one who did not know about the Uchiha massacre, but only a few - including Shikamaru - knew the whole truth behind it. As the sole survivor of his clan, it was certainly not easy to bear all the burden that was left on him. He just didn't know whether to admire Sasuke or feel sorry for him.

"I have to move on now." Sasuke raised his hand to form a sign, then it was gone just as quickly as he had appeared.

Shikamaru wanted almost the same freedom as Sasuke. That would make things a lot easier.

* * *

She woke up drenched in sweat, her heart was pounding and she noticed how dry her mouth was. Shikamaru lay next to her and snored softly. The dried tears on her face stuck uncomfortably.

The clock on the bedside table told her it was just three o'clock in the morning. She had barely slept and her headache was killing her. The room swayed around her, but she urgently needed to go to the bathroom. She would be damned and wake Shikamaru up for help. But when she swept the jug of water off the table, it was no use.

Immediately he sat upright in bed and, while still half asleep, reached out to his right side in search of a kunai. Then his mind took over.

"Temari?"

“Go back to sleep. I just have to go to the bathroom, Shikamaru. "

He ran a hand over his face. "At least turn on the light."

She rolled her eyes at his comment. Yes, she knew he was worried, but that was what annoyed her a lot. She didn't want to be treated like a helpless being. So she didn't comment on his statement, but continued on her way to the bathroom.

The light in the small room blinded her. As consciously as she had previously avoided looking in the mirror, she was seized by curiosity. At some point she had to face what she saw. Better she get over with it now. She shouldn't have done it.

Her right eye could no longer be recognized as such. Because everything below was swollen and shimmered in various shades of blue and purple, she looked like a grotesque version of herself.

Karui's ointment had taken some of the swelling away, because she could see with both eyes again, but even after the worst training sessions her father had put her through, she had never looked this broken. She knew about the crack in her lip. After all, the constant burning was hard to ignore. She quickly turned away from her reflection in the mirror. She felt she had faced reality enough today.

The fire was almost out and Shikamaru had decided to heat it up a little. He knew how quickly Temari got cold, which is why he accepted to sweat a little. The main thing was that he could help make her feel better.

Since he didn't know whether she wanted to go back to sleep right away, he sat down in front of the oven and looked into the flames. There were so many things to think about.

Temari's irrational behaviour and her haunted look, the wincing at every sound or touch and then how she suddenly rushed at him so that they slept together. He didn't know how to deal with it. They urgently needed to talk about it. He just didn't know how and if now was the right time. However, since they were leaving tomorrow, they couldn't wait. He only noticed her when she put her hand on his shoulder.

"You could have gone to sleep again."

With a forced smile he looked at her and put his hand over hers. He pulled her away immediately after seeing her discomfort in the tension in her shoulders and eyes. Shikamaru had never seen her like this and that really scared him. He had no problem with her vulnerable side. What bothered him, how much his presence unsettled her.

"The fire almost died." He emphasized this with a gesture in the direction of the stove. "Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"I don't know, Shikamaru."

"Do you want to talk, Tem?" She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath.

"No, but we have to talk."

"Let's go to bed. I see how you freeze. "

Any other night she would have snuggled close to Shikamaru. She loved it when he cuddle up against her from behind and put his arms around her protectively. Only then could she fall asleep without worry, because she knew nothing would happen to her. She would never have thought that it was such a relief to lie next to someone in bed and to be able to let go completely. But today wasn't one of those carefree days.

Violence had been done to her. The wounds and pain would go away, but what this attack had done to her psyche, she couldn't even begin to guess. She looked at his so beautiful face in the gentle glow of the fire. She touched his chin with her fingertip and stroked it. He let her be, but didn't touch her. Temari couldn't blame him. So far she had flinched before each of his touches. It was completely unconscious and she hated herself for it.

“I've always considered myself a strong person. I learned to fight and defend myself early on.” Her hand went to Shikamaru's hair. “I've never felt unsafe. When I was scared, I would swallow it, swing my fan, and scare everyone. Nobody would ever win against me. I am Rasa's daughter. You can't defeat me. ”She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. “Today, however, this security was taken from me. Because I was careless. I got too distracted by my feelings. "

Shikamaru gave her a sad smile.

“Instead of being angry about this idiot's audacity. I flinch like a little girl as soon as you approach me. But you're not to blame. Still, I can't get out of my skin. " He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but she held her hand in front of it. “I don't want to be treated like someone who is weak. Please do me a favour and don't shrink back, Shikamaru. I like it when you touch and kiss me. Help me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. That I am desirable and precious. "

Temari noticed how her eyes got wet and her throat tightened. Luckily Shikamaru didn't hesitate and pulled her closer to him.

“I'll help you through this, Temari. You won't get rid of me that easily. "

* * *

Morio looked like he would rather be dead than sit across Shikamaru. Omoi and Chojuro stood at the sides and watched the whole thing, as did the three samurai around. Shikamaru didn't feel sorry for him.

Temari had told him over breakfast how he had taken her by surprise. He got angry when she didn't want to cooperate. Which was why he'd finally hit her. She got away with it mainly with a huge shock. She would have to nibble on it for quite a while.

"The Tsuchikage has agreed that Omoi, Karui and Chojuro accompany you back to Iwagakure. What happens after that is no longer in my hands, but I no longer want to see you as an envoy in the Shinobi Alliance."

Morio pressed his lips together, but couldn't help and commented: "As if you could decide that on your own."

"He can. Besides, that decision was made by the Gokage." Chojuro handed him the documents that they had sent electronically.

With a snort, he threw it on the table and stormed out of the room. Shikamaru only noticed how he was trembling with anger after he last left the room.

She had taken Shikamaru's bag and was waiting for her boyfriend with Choji and Kankuro. Her wrist still hurt and her swollen knee, which Kankuro had of course eyed directly, throbbed uncomfortably. She had looked again in the mirror that morning. Her eyes still looked terrible. As soon as she was back in Suna, she would seek treatment.

She couldn't use her fan like that. That was also one of the reasons for her request to Kankuro. She knew that her brother could handle dangerous situations well alone, but she wanted to feel completely safe after Morio had tried to step over all of her boundaries yesterday.

Choji looked longingly at Karui, who was talking to Omoi. They were apparently discussing their journey home. Shortly afterwards they finished their meeting because suddenly Karui turned to them and came walking towards them.

"I wanted to say goodbye to you guys and look forward to seeing you again at the next meeting."

Temari was pulled into a short, tight hug. Kankuro shook hands with her. Choji wanted to grab it too, so she leaned up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"See you soon," she said to him with a smile. Temari saw Choji grab his cheek with his hand and Karui looked puzzled.

"The shinobi in Konoha seem to be fishing in other villages," said Kankuro, crossing his arms.

"We're only looking for the best women," said Shikamaru, who had now also appeared, and grabbed Temari's hand. "Isn't that right, Choji?"

The addressed nodded briefly and tightened his bag.

"Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really hard to write, because of what happened to Temari. 
> 
> But even if it's a tough topic I hoped that I showed in a realistic way what sort of "damage" or better trauma is caused with an assault like that. 
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	17. Consequences

Temari, for her part, could have slept through several days. They had just arrived in Suna and the way to the Kazekage villa seemed so long to her. Her fan was too heavy, she was hungry and thirsty, but above all she wanted to go to bed.

Kankuro had treated her like a raw egg the whole time. He had taken more breaks than usual, bought her favourite food, and even offered to carry her fan. She was pleased with his caring manner, even when she was about to yell at him. He should treat her normally and not like someone who would break down any minute.

She was still a little upset. She had never been in such a situation before. Otherwise she could rely on her strength as kunoichi. She was now brutally shown where her limits were. The physical traces no longer hurt as much as the emotional wounds that burned deep within her.

She hated herself for being mad at Shikamaru. He had been absolutely right to reject and slow her down. But that didn't change the fact that she had to deal with it and as reluctant it was to admit, it had hit her deeply.

Everything felt so completely wrong. Her body, her life, her relationship. Not even her home gave her safety, even here she winced at the slightest noise. For one evening she even wondered if she could continue working as a kunoichi.

Gaara got up the second they walked through the office door. He walked up to her and stopped in front of her. Then he seemed to take heart. With a movement unusual for him, he pulled her into his arms.

She raised her own arms and wrapped them around his torso. She had never noticed how big he was. His hug felt good. She felt safe again. Gaara was not so generous with his gestures. That's why this hug weighed so much more.

"I'm fine, Gaara."

"I know. I just wanted to hug you. That's what you do when you're worried."

How she loved her brothers. Without them she would be lost.

* * *

For a long time he wondered whether he should even approach her with such a sensitive subject. Shikamaru didn't just want to cross a line. If Temari ever found out that he was talking to someone else about issues that should only remain between the two of them, he would be a dead man. But since he couldn't ask Ino or his mother, and this for various reasons, only Sakura remained.

He knew when she was taking a break and had therefore packed a few onigiri into a bento for her. Since he knew about her particular preference for dango, he had also got some on the way to the hospital. So he could take the opportunity and tell her that Sasuke was fine. Shikamaru knew how much she cared about him.

The clock said one o'clock in the afternoon when he stood in front of her office and knocked. He entered at her request. Her head was bowed over a patient file.

"I'm actually on break," she remarked without looking up.

"Shouldn't you put the paperwork aside then?"

"Oh, hi." She closed the file. "How can I help you, Shikamaru?"

"I need a favour from you."

"If you want to ask me for the stomach medicine for Choji again, you can go and send him yourself."

"No, that's not the point. It's about something private."

"Then lock the door." He put the food on her table and did as she was told. "Is it a medical question?"

"Depending on how you look at it. Can I be sure that everything I tell you will not leave this room?"

"That's why I asked. Because of the medical confidentiality I am bound by my promise. But you know that I would never tell anything private. I have a little more shame than Ino."

He had to grin at that remark.

"Well, it's not just about me, it's mainly about Temari."

* * *

Even if she went to bed immediately, she couldn't sleep straight away. She was totally physically exhausted, but her head just wouldn't turn off. Too many thoughts raced through her head.

Again and again she relived the agonizing minutes in which Morio had her in his power. She felt his breath on her skin. Could smell his bad breath. Or remembered how his hand felt on her body. Nothing had happened to her and yet these pictures tormented her, especially at night.

Then she woke up as if someone had yelled right in her ear. The adrenaline pumped through her body and her hand sought the next kunai. She had hoped her family house and her own bed would give her enough safety so that she could finally sleep through the night again. Instead, it seemed to be getting worse here.

She heard how Kankuro was making something to eat in the kitchen and was not exactly quiet. Then every few minutes a couple of screeching children ran past the window. She turned back on the other side and pulled her pillow over her head, but even with that she couldn't stop the constant noise in her head.

Kankuro would definitely like to have company while cooking.

* * *

Sakura just let him speak up.

He told her about Kana and the council in Suna, of the incident during the Chunin exams and ended with Morio's attack on Temari.

"She was so distant after I turned her down."

She nodded and gently put a hand on his arm.

"You did the right thing," she reassured him. "She was certainly completely blown. Sometimes you behave completely irrationally. Temari is a strong, self-confident woman. She won't hold your rejection offended. Do you know if she can talk to anyone about it except you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Normally she would talk to her brothers, but ..."

Shikamaru needless to say that the subject was particularly delicate and intimate.

"When will she come back? I don't want to urge her to do anything, but especially when you've experienced such an assault, it's better to talk about it." She took a deep breath. "I also used psychological help myself when I was unable to cope with the aftershocks of the war. Maybe that would help her too."

Admitting that seemed difficult for Sakura.

Shikamaru didn't really want to dig any further. He himself knew how difficult it was to admit when you needed help. When Asuma's death he still had his father to support him. His responsibility to the unborn Mirai and Kurenai had kept him upright. And taking vengeance on the Akatsuki members who had killed his sensei had brought him a particular peace of mind.

But after the war, where not only his father but also Inoichi had died, he somehow had to fight his way out on his own. He had assigned Choji to take care of Ino, but he himself had withdrawn more and more until Choza had turned up at his house.

The days slipped by and were accompanied by funerals. He had no tears left to cry. Shikamaru knew he was urgently needed, but he just couldn't get himself up.

He sat in front of his shogi board for hours and never finished the last game with his father. It felt like the board was laughing at him and constantly reminding him of what he had lost. His mother was kept busy by members of the Nara clan. He himself was glad not to have to deal with that as well.

The sight of his mother breaking down crying after Kakashi had brought her the news of Shikaku's death would stay with him for a long time. After he'd been asked the third time and he still didn't want to go, at least they'd stopped inviting him to any meetings.

He just wanted to be alone.

_One afternoon he actually thought he was alone when he heard noises from the kitchen._

_The likelihood of someone breaking into his home wasn't very high, but he still preferred to check it out. It wasn't the first time that a deer had strayed into the house. They were incredibly curious animals and had no qualms._

_When he turned into the kitchen, however, he was greeted by a different sight._

_Choza stood there and made tea. Shikamaru put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the door frame. He didn't feel like having company. Especially not if it was one of his father's best friends. It was just too much for Shikamaru._

_"I know you've never been very talkative, Shikamaru, but at least you could say hello to me."_

_"Sorry, Choza-jisan. I'm not in a good mood right now." Instead of answering, he put the tray with the tea set into his hand. "Take this to the porch. I'll be right there."_

_Shikamaru knew when to surrender. Choji's father might be gentler and more level-headed in many ways, but when Choza got something on his mind, he'd be pushing it forward._

_Hoping to have a moment's rest, he lit a cigarette and took a few deep puffs. He had started again right after the first funeral. It calmed him down and reminded him of Asuma. Shikamaru needed something to hold on to. He didn't want to touch the shogi board and go into the forest to take care of the deer was currently unimaginable for him._

_"Kurenai asked about you." If Choza was aiming he hit precisely._

_Shikamaru had last seen her and Mirai at the funeral. After that, he had completely cut himself off from the outside world. He himself knew how counterproductive this behaviour was. It made everyone around him even more worried. But he didn't want her pitying looks, hearing the words of consolation or sharing memories of his father. He wanted the peace and quiet and time to mourn in his own way._

_"I didn't feel like company."_

_Choza filled both of her cups and handed one to Shikamaru. He only noticed how cold he was when he almost burned his fingers on the cup. He had lost track of time, he didn't know whether it was November or even December. Since there was no snow yet, he thought November was more likely._

_"Ino and Choji have tried to visit you several times," Choza pressed on. "They want to be there for you."_

_No, there was no way he could face Ino, because if she cried he wouldn't be able to stop himself. Shikamaru had thought Asuma's death had already pulled the rug out from under his feet. But Shikaku had left an even bigger void._

_"I didn't know," he lied._

_Of course he knew of their attempts to contact. After all, Choji had knocked loudly on the front door and Ino had sent him so many hawks that he could decorate the walls with the paper._

_Choza put the empty cup on the tray and sighed._

_"Listen, Shikamaru. Everyone mourns in their own way. I don't even want to talk you out of it. You know how closely our clans are connected to one another. I didn't just come to see how you were doing, but as the leader of the Akimichi clan. Like Ino, you are now the head of your clan. You have duties that you will soon have to take on. Even if you don't like it, the world goes on turning. "_

_All this time he had been staring at the cup in his hands. Now he looked at Choza. Shikamaru had been so paralysed that he had completely forgotten what the death of his father meant to him._

_He succeeded Shikaku. From now on the responsibility was in his hands._

_"Then I ask you to help me, Choza. Because I have no idea how to cope with this task."_

_Choza smiled at him and nodded to him._

_"This is the Shikamaru I know."_

* * *

Kankuro willingly let her slice the onions while he took care of the perfect steak. He didn't leave this task to anyone else. Too often, in his eyes, Temari and Gaara had cooked the meat completely wrong.

As long as her hands were busy and distracting her from gloomy thoughts, Temari was fine.

"What happened between you and Shikamaru?" he asked her straight away as he put the pan on the stove. Temari was turning the sliced onions in the sugar lotion so that they caramelized while frying, and tried not to look in her brother's direction

"Everything is fine between us," she said casually and put a second pan next to Kankuros. "I do not know what you mean."

"And my father is Uchiha Madara," he remarked mockingly. "Who are you trying to mock, Temari?"

"Why don't you believe me when I tell you it's all good, Kankuro?"

He made a derogatory sound. "You can maybe try to hide something from Gaara, but I can tell from your posture that you're not well. You flinch at every noise. When Shikamaru accompanied us back, you avoided his touch. You also have nightmares. So what happened? Has it anything to do with this Morio?"

At the mention of his name, the bowl of onions fell from her hand and broke into a thousand pieces. A shard slit open her leg.

"Damn", she cursed, while Kankuro immediately grabbed a cloth and pressed it to the cut. He manoeuvred her onto the nearest chair. Then he turned and turned off the stove.

“I'm really damn worried about you, Temari. So please talk to me. "

* * *

Shikamaru noticed how the conversation with Sakura had lifted a burden from his shoulders. He was a little more confident that Temari would be able to recover. The next time they met, he would make sure that she was completely comfortable.

Surely she would be happy if he would invite her to Konoha's hot springs. Besides, Christmas wasn't too far away. He could ask her if she would spend this year with him.

Even if she always cursed about the snow in the Land of Iron, she would definitely enjoy a trip through the snow-covered streets of Konoha. He was walking his usual route to the Hokage Tower to resume work when he ran into someone.

Choji stood in front and Shikamaru immediately noticed that something was wrong with him. His face was bright red and he seemed to be breathing hard. Whatever was wrong with him, it didn't mean anything good.

"Choji? Did something happen?"

Instead of answering, he thrust a piece of paper into his hand. Shikamaru didn't know what to tell him so he let his eyes wander over the words that were written there.

_Hi Choji,_

_I'm in Konohagakure next week and wanted to ask if we want to go out to dinner together again?_

_I am looking forward to your answer,_

_Karui_

Well that at least explained why Choji was completely devastated. He handed the letter back to him. Shikamaru saw Choji's hands shaking.

"She's coming to Konoha," he said in a high, shocked voice. "She's coming to visit me, Shikamaru!"

"That's great. Then you can show her your favourite places and go for a walk with her in the evening. If you want, you can also show her the Nara forest."

His best friend uttered a choked tone. "What should I wear? What should we talk about?"

“Put on things that you feel comfortable in. If you bring her flowers, she'll be happy too."

"FLOWERS ?!" Shikamaru had only wanted to help him a little, but now a look of sheer horror spread on Choji's face. He took Choji by the shoulder.

“Listen, you come to me tonight. I'll also invite Ino if that's okay with you. Then we can talk through everything in peace."

Choji just nodded. At least he got hold of the tremors in his hands and put the letter in his pocket.

"Tonight at six o'clock?"

Again he nodded.

"Wonderful. I'll cook something. "

* * *

"I'm definitely not going to talk to you about it."

“You obviously didn't talk to Shikamaru either. His look when you said goodbye spoke volumes."

That gave her an uncomfortable sting. If even Kankuro noticed that there was something between her and Shikamaru, others would inevitably also notice it. She hoped he could do better in front of Ino and Choji than she did in front of her brother. She absolutely had to get to Konoha as soon as possible. But first her knee had to heal so that she could walk for more than a few hours at a time.

“Ok, what I'm telling you now remains between the two of us. Not even Gaara is allowed to find out about it."

"That sounds like you killed someone and I have to help you get rid of the body."

She took one of the apples out of the fruit bowl and tossed it in his direction. He caught it in mid-flight and took a hearty bite.

"Hey! I just wanted to loosen up the mood a little."

"You choose the most inopportune moments for it." She took a deep breath. “I was pretty confused after Morio's attack. Apart from a few scratches, nothing happened to me, but I felt so fragile and helpless."

Temari noticed how her voice got lower with every word. Kankuro held out his hand to her, which she gratefully gripped with both hands. She had been constantly cold for days.

“Shikamaru was just there. He didn't ask questions or ask anything. I think he himself was pretty confused."

"He hit a tree," observed Kankuro. "Then I took him aside and talked to him."

"He didn't tell me that."

Why hadn't he told you about it?

"You wouldn't have believed him anyway."

"Probably."

"What happened then, Tem?"

"I wanted to sleep with him," she blurted out.

Fortunately, Kankuro only grimaced briefly and then put on a neutral expression.  
"Well, that shouldn't be anything new to you." She noticed how her face turned red. "Wait a second. Don't tell me that you two haven't been doing it like rabbits for months? "

He could have foreseen the fist headed for his arm. Kankuro yelped and scowled at her.

“What do you think of me, Kankuro? No, we haven't had sex yet. "

"Hmm," he hummed. “And what's stopping you? I saw you kissing. There wasn't much that was missing. But that also explains why you two are always so stressed."

This time he avoided her fist.

"It's complicated. That's not what it was about. "

"Ok, ok. I won't interrupt you anymore. "

“Anyway, I wanted to feel better and that's how I started kissing him. But that wasn't enough for me. So I continued."

He snatched his hand from her and lifted them both up, palms facing her.

“Stop, Temari. I don't need any details. I know how sex works. " When she gave him a questioning look, he added, "I was fifteen the first time and even if I don't have a girlfriend, I don't lack opportunities."

"You never told me THAT."

"Do you really want to know about this part of my life?"

Now it was up to her to raise her hands.

"We're getting off track again."

"Right." He cleared his throat. “So you had the hots for him. And then did he participate? "

"No. He interrupted me. "

Kankuro whistled. "Brave of him."

"What do you mean by that?" She uttered through clenched teeth. More and more she regretted even starting this conversation.

“I have no idea how it is with you women, but when I'm hot for a woman, then it's very difficult for me to hold back. You've been together for months now. A lot must have built up inside him. He must care a lot about you, Tem. This guy is really a saint. "

"He loves me," she whispered. "He told me his love shortly before Naruto's wedding and I couldn't return it."

"How so? We haven't exactly been showered with love. "

She looked at him at these words.

“You were the only one besides Baki who kept this family together. After Yashamaru died, we had no one. You sacrificed yourself for us and tried to protect Gaara and me. Of course, you find it difficult to express your feelings. The more urgent you need to talk to Shikamaru. There aren't enough men running around out there who can crack your shell and are ready to take on you. "

She cocked her head and gave him a doe-eyed look.

“You need someone as gentle as your shadow boy. He is intellectually on your level, even outsmarts you, but he does not try to tame you. You yourself say he was there for you. He just lets you be yourself. You like to argue and want to win and he fills in exactly those parts of your personality that you lack. I hate to say that, but he loves you and nobody says that so lightly. "

Temari only noticed how tears ran down her face when Kankuro got up and hugged her.

* * *

Ino was surprised when he invited her and Choji to his home, but her curiosity finally ensured that she showed up almost twenty minutes earlier than Choji. He had just finished cooking and had everything spread out on his table in the living room. Ino had made herself comfortable on one of the cushions on the floor and was sipping her water.

He was just throwing his apron to one side and was about to sit down with her when his phone rang. It was unusual for him to be called so late, but maybe it was important. He picked up the phone and apologized briefly to Ino.

"Nara Shikamaru?"

"Oh, hey. Am I disturbing?"

Yes, it was definitely important. It was Temari.

“No, I'm just expecting Choji. We wanted to have a nice evening with Ino."

"So I'm disturbing." He tried not to sigh.

"You never disturb me, Tem." He quickly thought about why she could call, but first decided on a simple question to get started. "Have you arrived safely in Suna?"

"Yes, my knee still hurts, but I'll go to the hospital tomorrow and have it checked out."

It reassured him to know that nothing out of the ordinary had happened after they parted on the way. Shikamaru had hated to let her go so distant and lost in thought. Especially their parting from each other had been so stiff and unnatural. So it made him happy to hear her voice. She sounded a little more composed than before.

“That is definitely better that way. Can you sleep better? "

She hesitated.

"No." He heard her exhale deeply. “I talked to Kankuro about everything. That helped me."

It was now up to him to exhale with relief. He had very much hoped that she would confide in someone. He had hoped it wasn't someone he met regularly, only if it helped Temari, he would endure the further comments from Kankuro. Still, he was curious.

"What did you tell him?" She started laughing at the other end when she heard his scepticism.

“I have no secrets from my brothers. So he knows everything. I think he called you a saint."

"Why did he say this?"

"Because you rejected me when I ... well you know."

Now he sighed. Ok, Kankuro would tease him every time when they saw each other again.

"I have to move to another village now and change my name."

Temari laughed even louder now. "Do not worry. I wanted to say thank you again, Shika."

"You don't need to say thank you, Tem."

"Yes," she replied vehemently. "You are damn important to me and I miss you a lot."

She's not mad at you. She misses you.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon."

"Give my regards to Ino and Choji. I have to hang up now. Good night, Shikamaru."

"Good night, Tem. I love you." He heard the gasp briefly and then send him a kiss before she hung up.

Shikamaru couldn't help but smile. Everything would be fine again.

"Was that Temari?" Asked a whispering voice next to him. He was startled and almost dropped the phone.

"INO! Have you overheard us?"

"No, but Choji is coming soon and I want to know why we're meeting at your place before he shows up."

"It's about Karui." Ino's mouth fell open.

Shikamaru took the opportunity and shoved her shoulders back into the living room.

* * *

After she had finally been treated in the hospital the next evening and her knee and wrist hardly hurt any more, she was at least physically better. She also went to bed shortly afterwards and woke up screaming after a nightmare that triggered both Kankuro and Gaara. They both stood in their bedroom ready to fight. When she had assured both of them that everything was fine, she had quickly made a cup of tea and looked dreamily at the quiet village at her window.

Temari thought about how her life had been so far. She was born into a family with a father who was never present and when he was not available. A mother who had showered her and Kankuro with love. Then Karura had died and her father had closed himself off even more.

In the years that followed, her uncle had tried to catch the love that Rasa could not bring them, but she no longer felt safe because Gaara was becoming more and more unpredictable.

Even now she felt a cold shiver when she thought about how scared she had been of her brother. She would never be able to completely forget those years. Even if Gaara was a completely different person by now and treated her with care and love.

She hadn't thought that she would have such a good relationship with her two siblings or that she would look at them in admiration. Temari noticed how her tears came. It was just too much for her. She loved Sunagakure. Not just because of the people who were important to her. Here was their home. She loved the heat and the wild wind. Loved the alternation between the searing heat during the day and the freezing cold nights. Only she wouldn't be able to stay forever. She had to choose.

Did she agree to the contract that made her Kana's wife? In fact, this went against all of her ideals. She did not want to be used as a pawn for political considerations. Only then could she stay in the Land of Wind. She wouldn't completely lose touch with home. Besides, she never had to work as a kunoichi again. A thought that seemed quite tempting when she thought about it. Because then she would never have gotten into a situation like that with Morio.

She shook her head.

No, it was absurd.

Even if she guaranteed Suna's stability, she couldn't bring herself to tacitly agree.

His face appeared before her inner eye.

_Shikamaru._

He was ready to give her everything. Not just his heart. He would even move to Suna for her and give up all his dreams. Certainly the council was more in favour of this proposal than if she were lost to Konoha. Because that's what it would amount to.

Unless Shikamaru had finally deterred her. That was what made her call him yesterday. After talking to Kankuro, she realized how she had treated him. Something inside her had broken after Morio's attack. She had felt a distance between herself and Shikamaru and it was still there.

Frustrated by this realization, she had kept him away from her. Pushed him a little way. Her gaze had finally moved to the stars.

"What would you advise me?" she asked into the silence.

She had never wished her mother were here so much. Surely she could have helped her to clear this emotional chaos.

She wiped the tears from her eyes before going back to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your support so far. With this chapter we reached the first half. 
> 
> In spring, when I wrote this chapter I had to take a break with writing because of the dialogue between Temari and Kankuro (my favourite part in this chapter). Their conversation was awkward and also too funny. I don't know if it was only me. 
> 
> Tell me in the comments :)


	18. Decisions

"Shit," Shikamaru uttered as he cut his thumb with his kunai and immediately blood shot from the injury. He just wanted to sharpen the blades so he wouldn't have to find out on a mission that he hadn't done it. Immediately he put his thumb in his mouth and stood up.

When he got to the bathroom, he took a compress, put it over his thumb and wrapped a piece of bandage around it. His last real mission was a while ago, because he couldn't clone himself - Naruto was responsible for that with his shadow clones - but he knew that if he let one of these things slip, he would get lazier than he already was and it would take bitter revenge not to be prepared.

If Temari had ever heard those words come out of his mouth, she would probably have taken him to the hospital straight away to check that he hadn't had brain damage.

He sighed at the thought of her. He hadn't heard from her since her phone call a few days ago. She must have thrown herself back to work. He hadn't done it any other way, but unlike her, he hadn't been attacked.

Temari was strong. She could take it. He just couldn't get rid of that nagging feeling that something was wrong. She seemed to have been her old self on the phone, but there was a tone in her voice that he had analysed later. In addition, his head tried to tell him something else that concerned the marriage contract, but he didn't seem to be able to fully grasp that either.

That was probably what made him cut his finger too. He was absent-minded. Luckily he was through with sharpening, so he packed up his things and decided to go out for lunch. Maybe he would run into Ino or Sakura by chance and they could fix the cut.

* * *

_In the name of the Daimyo of the Wind Watanabe Kanaye, this invitation goes out to the Godaime Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara._

_The presence of the Godaime is mandatory, as is the participation of the other members of the Kazekage clan, mainly Temari and Kankuro._

_Participation in a festive banquet on the occasion of the birthday on November 20th of the prevailing year is requested._

_Gifts must be sent for verification up to one week in advance._

She looked up from Gaara's desk and looked at her brother in horror.

"No," she said vehemently. "Absolutely no way!"

"But you've already noticed that we all have to go there?" grumbled Kankuro.

“The date doesn't fit. There is the meeting of the Shinobi Alliance. "

"Matsuri can go for you."

Temari was sure Gaara was joking. He couldn't really ask her to make this stupid birthday more important than the meeting of the Alliance. He knew how important her work was to her. What advantages they all got from it. Besides, she would then see Shikamaru again. Under no circumstances would she let herself be wedged into a festive dress, dance with her fiancé and hand her future father-in-law the sake.

If she realized one thing, it was that she had to break out of this contract.

She just hadn't decided which variant to choose. Kakashi would be happy to guarantee her citizenship of Konoha. However, the Fire Daimyo had to agree, as she was not a civilian and Konoha would gain a massive advantage in combat strength through her. Convincing the Wind Daimyo would be the harder option, after all she was to marry his son. The simpler method would be to marry Shikamaru and thereby escape Suna's influence. Because this did not require any approval other than that of the respective kage.

As much as she was reluctant to have all these options, in the end she did not choose them of her own free will, but with a lot of time pressure in the back of her mind, so she had to admit that this was the easiest option.

She just wished she could take her time. The thought of marrying him didn't scare her. But what if they acted rashly now, upset everyone around them, and in the end it would be torture for both of them?

Temari was afraid of taking their relationship to another level too quickly if they weren't ready yet.

“If we upset the daimyo, it can have far-reaching consequences for Sunagakure. I'm not doing this to hurt you, Temari. That is my duty as Kazekage. "

“I know that, Gaara. I just don't like it anyway. I hate it."

"Look at it this way. We won't be alone and I suspect the other daimyo will be there too. We can certainly can intervene at the right spots so that you are not forced into a marriage.”

Kankuro had a good point. This birthday could help them to get out of this misery.

"I have one condition, though."

"Which one?"

“I want to go to Konoha again first. You can also give me a mission that leads to Kiri or Kumo, but I have to talk to Shikamaru. "

"I agree."

* * *

As soon as he got outside, Shikamaru found that autumn in Konoha was slowly turning into winter. Even if he didn't freeze easily, he already noticed that the wind was a lot cooler than usual. Therefore, he changed his plan to buy something to eat on the way, but turned into the road towards Ichiraku.

He would have dinner with his mother tonight and therefore a bowl of ramen would save him by then. He didn't get far, however, because suddenly Ino jumped out of the flower shop and pulled him into it.

"Hey, what's this?" He complained because she had a tight grip on his arm.

"Stop whining, crybaby," she said, winking at him.

"Did you just call me crybaby?"

Ino grinned at him. "Well Temari always calls you that."

"That is something different. What do you want, Ino? "

She let go of his arm and went back to the sales counter. There she propped up her arms and leaned conspiratorially towards him.

"Choji was just here."

Lost in his own worries, he had completely forgotten that Karui had arrived yesterday. Conversely, today Choji had his date. When the realization crept over his face, Ino grinned diabolically. He didn't like the direction this was taking at all.

“Just leave them both alone. Can you hold back for once, Ino? "

“I would never interfere, Shika. What do you think of me? But I took special care with the bouquet. "

“Then why are you stealing my precious time? I wanted to go out to eat."

Ino sighed loudly. “Sometimes you are difficult to understand. I had a great idea."

She took out a small round object. Shikamaru immediately recognized what it was. It was a receiver that you could put in your ear to stay in contact with your teammates over long distances on missions. In order for this to work smoothly, you needed a microphone as a counterpart, which you attached to your clothing near your mouth.

"You didn't do that, Ino," he uttered indignantly.

“We both know how clumsy Choji is. I have a receiver for each of us. If the date drifts in the wrong direction, we can save him."

She held her open hand with both receivers in his direction.

"I'm definitely not going to take part, Ino." He made a quick wave of his hand and picked up the receivers.

"Shikamaru! You can't do that! "

"How would you feel if you found out that Choji and I did this with Sai and you? And what if Karui finds the microphone? "

She stared at him with her mouth open. She obviously hadn't thought that far.

"Oh no!" She uttered. "Choji has to bring the bouquet back!"

"I'll take care of it," Shikamaru sighed.

* * *

The invitation to the birthday of the Wind Daimyo naturally lead to another meeting of the council in Suna. After reluctantly agreeing to attend the birthday, she instructed Matsuri for the Shinobi Alliance meeting. She hated relinquishing those duties again, but she knew this birthday was her chance.

She had come up with a tactic with Kankuro and Gaara that hopefully led to the desired result. She also hoped that Kana had been able to set things in motion from his side.

After the meeting, Temari actually wanted to go to the tailor shop to order a dress for the upcoming celebration. Gaara and Kankuro would also have new clothes made especially for the occasion.

One way or another she would choose something in a purple again. Not only did she really like the colour, but it just flattered her. If she was forced to attend such an event, at least she could get a nice dress for it. However, Jouseki stopped her and stood in her way.

"We need to talk, Temari-san."

“We have just discussed everything important. It's too late now. I have an appointment,” she dismissed him.

He held her back by the arm. She resisted the urge to just tear herself away and yell at him. Even if she didn't like him, she couldn't just attack a councillor.

“The council is concerned about how the last meeting of the Shinobi Alliance went. The Wind Daimyo has also voiced its concerns."

The conversation was getting really interesting. Not only that information was passed on that was actually only available to a select group. She knew what Jouseki was implying. He wanted to get her to give up her duties and prepare for her future role as the wife of the next Wind Daimyo. But then he was on the wrong track.

"This issue is nobody's business."

"Yes, the council will decide in an application who will take over the successor to the Shinobi Alliance from next year."

She clenched her fist. Was he serious?

"I beg your pardon?"

"The wedding will definitely take place, Temari-san." He looked at her emphatically. “We know that the Kazekage is trying to prevent this. Therefore I would recommend no more efforts to cancel it."

"Is that a threat?" She hissed between clenched teeth.

“No, just well-intentioned advice. Relations with Konoha are too close. In the past this has put Sunagakure's prosperity at risk. The Wind Daimyo communicated openly and did not shy away from cancelling the funds for our village and replacing the Kazekage with a candidate of his choice should the wedding not take place under any circumstances."

She laughed bitterly. “Kankuro would act just like Gaara. In the end it wouldn't do anything."

"The next candidate would not be Kankuro."

Temari felt like she had been hit. She had suspected that the council still had an ace up its sleeve. How far they would go, however, was not yet clear. There was no way she could allow Gaara and Kankuro to lose all that they had fought for through their unwillingness to marry. Suddenly she realized how naive she had been to believe that she could just drop out of the wedding. That's not how politics worked. Especially not in their homeland.

“Oh and something else,” added Jouseki. “We will also never agree to a wedding with someone from another village. The council knows everything. "

"I understand."

"I knew you would be reasonable, Temari-san." He smiled at himself. "Besides, I would advise against telling this to anyone. Because the council would deny any plans to do so. Especially since there is no evidence for it. "

With that he let go of her and left the room

* * *

He caught Choji turning into the next street and stopped him with his jutsu. Only a few meters would have been missing and the misfortune would have taken its course.

"What's that supposed to be, Shikamaru?" Choji asked when he realized that he couldn't move any more. He quickly caught up with his best friend and took the bouquet from him. Ino had told him where exactly she had hidden the microphone. He carefully unwrapped the flower from the paper. No sooner had he defused the bouquet than he gave him back Choji and released him from his shadow.

"Is that a microphone?" Choji's face turned chalky white. Of course he had thought about beforehand how he would explain him why there was a microphone.

“Ino gave you the wrong bouquet. This one was prepared for a mission. "

Under normal circumstances, Choji would never have bought this lie from him, instead he just nodded.

“I don't want to bother you any further. I wish you and Karui a lot of fun."

He patted him on the shoulder and was about to leave when Choji held him.

"Wait a second."

_Mendukose._

“Ino put the microphone in there because she doesn't think I can do it alone. Am I right?"

Shikamaru put his hand on the back of his neck. He couldn't get out of this situation now. Choji was going to get even more nervous and ruin the whole date. That was exactly what Shikamaru had been afraid of.

"She only meant well, Choji."

“You can tell Ino that I am unsure about many things, but not about Karui. I may not be good at such things, but I'm not a fool. I will marry Karui. I am sure of that."

His eyes would surely fall out. He had expected everything, but not such fiery words from Choji. He really had to have a crush on the Kunoichi from Kumo.

"Well, then we're already two." He winked at him and finally let Choji on his date.

* * *

She turned from left to right in front of the mirror in the tailor's shop and looked at her dress. Kankuro had accompanied her and let out a whistle.

“Really, Temari. You have outdone yourself, ” he said admiringly.

"Do you think so?" She replied and stopped.

The seamstress was only too happy to put a new dress together for her. It was actually a two-piece suit, consisting of an ankle-length skirt and a top. This ended at the level of her ribcage and let a few inches of skin show through before the skirt began. The fabric was matte, lilac-coloured silk, with the skirt having several layers in different dark and light shades of purple, which merged into slight ruffles at the hem and picked up the main colour of the outfit. For more freedom of movement, the skirt was gathered up on the left and exposed her leg when moving. Since the top had no sleeves, there was a slightly transparent scarf that she could swing around her shoulders. The cut highlighted the advantages of her figure.

“It reminds me a little of the costumes that belly dancers usually wear. Do you want to distract your father-in-law a little with that? "

She grinned at her brother. “Sometimes I just have to rely to feminine wiles. Now it's your turn. Let's see how good you look in your new clothes.”

* * *

While Choji was having a great time on his date with Kauri, Shikamaru made his way to his parents' house. He was happy to see his mother again, but Yoshino had asked more and more urgently the last few times when he was going to marry Temari and that was really the last thing he needed.

He had already skipped the last meal by excusing himself because of work. He couldn't get away with it again, especially since they had last seen each other before the Shinobi Alliance meeting. He rang the doorbell and waited. He didn't have to do this for a long time.

"You're late," Yoshino chided immediately. "Take off your shoes and wash your hands."

"Hi, mum. Nice to see you, ”he greeted her.

“Save the words, Shikamaru. Otherwise the food will get cold. "

After he sat down at the table with his mother and they both ate their food in silence, and of course he praised their cooking skills, he no longer felt so uncomfortable. Yoshino hadn't made funny comments or asked awkward questions. He put the empty bowl aside and leaned back in his chair. If he was able, he could go home in an hour at the latest.

“I talked to Ino's mother today. Why didn't you tell me that she got engaged to Sai? "

And with that all of his plans shattered into pieces.

"I thought she would tell you herself," he replied, hoping to have cleverly bypassed the subject. But of course his mother wouldn't be his mother if she left it at that.

"Hasn't Ino been with Sai as long as you have been with Temari?"

He could have denied it, but since Yoshino had phrased the question that way, he knew he could only agree. So he nodded to her.

"And they are engaged."

He sighed and put his hand on his neck. "What do you want to tell me by that, Mum?"

"Why does Ino manage to take her duties of the Yamanaka clan seriously while my own son continues to live his usual life and doesn't even think about proposing to his girlfriend?"

Shikamaru sat up straight again. Apparently his mother was planning a direct attack on him today. No subtle notes or taunts. He was almost impressed if he didn't already know her tactics. As much as he loved and respected his mother, she had definitely crossed the line.

“I take my duties very seriously. Not only do I take care of everything that comes up in the Nara clan, but I also hold the leading position of the Shinobi Alliance and am an advisor to the Hokage. So you can't blame me for it. "

He really had to try not to raise his voice. It wasn't the way to talk to your mother, and certainly not his way. Shikamaru knew why this topic took him so emotionally, because it was present all the time.

“What are you waiting for, Shikamaru? Is there any reason, other than her kinship to the Kazekage, that speaks against proposing to Temari? "

"That's exactly why," he said and stood up. “I'm going home, Mum. We meet next week. Good night."

He made it to the door and even got his shoes on, then Yoshino caught up with him.

“Nara Shikamaru, you won't get away with me like this! What do you mean by that?"

He sighed. "Temari is contractually promised to another man."

His mother put her hand over her mouth, startled.

“That's why you don't sleep well. The circles under your eyes are hard to miss. "

Shikamaru knew that he couldn't stay a second longer, otherwise his mother would get even more information out of him that really didn't concern her.

"Mum, please. I do not want to talk about it any more. The subject already occupies me more than enough. "

“That's what I'm here for, Shikamaru. Have I ever made you feel like you couldn't talk to me about things like that? "

“You have your own worries. I'm no longer a child."

She gave him a sad smile. "You will always be my child, Shikamaru." Her hand gently placed on his shoulder. “But I don't want to rush you. I'll pack you something to eat. Wait a moment. "

He stopped and fought the tears that were seething on the surface. This problem could not be solved by crying himself over to his mother. But sometimes that's exactly what he wished for.

If Shikaku were still there, he'd know what to do.

Shikamaru was sure of that.

* * *

Of course she hadn't intended to leave Jouseki's threat just like that in the room. The next morning she got up earlier than usual and took care of breakfast. Today was a long day for all of them. She would train the Genin, Kankuro had a meeting with all the higher-ranking Jounin to discuss the new distribution of tasks and Gaara would sit in his office as usual and fight his way through boring contracts.

So they only had that one hour in the morning.

Temari knew that her brothers loved to forget about food when they were busy. So she not only prepared tamagoyaki with great care, but also made maguro onigiri with the leftovers from the rice. That would help them through the day. She had already written a shopping list so that she could prepare a curry that evening.

It had become routine for her to take care of food on particularly stressful days. She knew that her siblings could do this on their own, but she liked creating a sense of home in the few hours when they weren't drowning in work.

As always, Gaara was first in the kitchen, mumbled "Good morning" and then crept behind his newspaper. Without being asked, she put a cup of tea by his side. Next, Kankuro stumbled into the dining room with unkempt hair and a loud yawn. He helped himself to the coffee and took her cup straight away. Temari preferred to drink it black while he was stirring the milk and honey in his cup. She slipped the last omelette onto the plate and set it on the table. Gaara put his newspaper aside.

"Itadakimasu", they said together and started to eat.

"I really appreciate that you cook for us, but you don't always have to do that, Tem," said Kankuro as he had just swallowed his first bite. "After all, at some point you will no longer be able to cook for us."

She raised a raised eyebrow at him, but said nothing.

“As always, it tastes very good,” Gaara praised her.

He ate much more carefully and more slowly than Kankuro, who only really took the time for a steak. Often times he even ate while standing or running. No matter how many times Temari told him it wasn't healthy.

"As long as I live here, I'll cook for you."

"Have you already decided how to proceed, should we not be able to terminate the contract?"

“I have to talk to you guys anyway. Jouseki stopped me yesterday after the meeting. "

Kankuro immediately sat up straight and looked intensely into her eyes. Gaara also paid her full attention.

"I suspect that the council in Suna has something to do with the matter of the Chunin exams."

"What did Jouseki say?" Gaara's voice was cold when he asked the question.

She could feel it broding beneath the surface. As calm as he was in many matters of the village, but as soon as it came to Jouseki, Gaara was immediately on high alert.

"He threatened me indirectly that I would have to do what the council asked, otherwise you would be deposed as a Kazekage." She put her chopsticks on the plate. “The Wind Daimyo would cut our funds and they would appoint a new candidate. Someone who is not Kankuro. "

"Are you serious?" Kankuro uttered angrily. "After all these years are you still trying to drop Gaara?"

Temari nodded.

"Do you have any evidence to support your assumption, Temari?"

"Unfortunately not. A wedding with Shikamaru is excluded. We wouldn't get approval for that. Jouseki also said that the council would deny any threats "- she laughed -" or, as he said, recommendations to me. Because nothing is official."

She heard the chopsticks break in Kankuro's fingers. Gaara pushed the food away.

"I have to speak to Baki immediately."

"Don't you want to finish?"

Gaara shook her head. "You can pack it with the bento that you've prepared."

With that he got up and left the dining room. Kankuro was still trembling with suppressed anger.

“He can't get away with that, Tem. I won't allow that. "

She hoped he was right.

* * *

The very next day, Shikamaru found out all the details about Choji and Karui's date. Not from himself, but from Sakura, who visited him in the office during her break.

She had tears of laughter in her eyes when she told him how Choji had shown up in the emergency room with Karui in tow.

"You should have seen how embarrassed he was because Karui ran into a lamp post because of him and got a laceration," she said when the laugh shook her again.

Shikamaru also had a smile on his face. He could only picture the scene too well.

“After treating her, he apologized a thousand times. Finally she told him to stop and kiss her as he had intended. "

"Did he do it?" Unfortunately, he could not contain his curiosity.

“No, Karui did take charge, leaned to him and pressing her lips to his. I was afraid he would faint. "

Now Shikamaru couldn't resist being carried away by Sakura's exuberant mood. He laughed out loud and wiped the tears from his eyes.

“If Ino finds out she will never stop nagging him. I'm really sorry for Choji. "

Sakura put a hand to her mouth and continued to giggle.

"Do not worry. I'm not going to tell her anything," she promised.

"You just wanted to let me know in advance so I wouldn't burst out laughing when Choji told me the whole story again?" He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

"I had to talk to someone who didn't enjoy Choji's suffering," she replied.

As if they had summoned him, Choji tore the door open the next moment and rushed into the office.

"Shikamaru! I absolutely have to - " He stopped when he saw Sakura.

“I'll go then. Can you please arrange that the budget for the personnel costs for the next year is adjusted upwards, Shikamaru? "

"Of course, Sakura."

He picked up her professional tone. She gave Choji a pat on the shoulder and left the office. He thought he saw her shudder again with suppressed laughter before she closed the door behind her.

"Sit down, Choji."

"Did Sakura tell you anything?"

“What should she have told me? She was here to discuss the finances for the hospital."

Fortunately, he'd just really been working on it. He pointed to a pile of papers with his hand. Choji nodded now and took up the vacated chair.

"I had to take Karui to the hospital and Sakura treated her."

"How did that happen?"

"So it was like this …"

While Choji was telling him how his evening has been, he could see how his best friend was smiling all over his face. Apparently it wasn't just a kiss.

“You are absolutely right about that. Kissing feels great, Shikamaru. "

"And how are you and Karui going to proceed?”

"See her again tonight."

Immediately Choji's face turned completely red. Shikamaru got up and pulled him into a hug. He was so happy for his best friend. Which made him even more concerned that Temari hadn't called in for almost two weeks.

Was she okay?

* * *

"Do you have the list with you?" asked Kankuro as he stood at the door frame to her room and watched her as she packed her bag.

"Of course. To be on the safe side, I also sent it to Sakura . Do you need anything else from Konoha? "

“No, I have all the ingredients for my poisons together. I always let Sakura bring everything to me when she comes by. "

“Aha, you and Sakura. Is there something I need to know? "

He gave her a scornful look. "Except for the fact that I owe her my life?"

"Could have been", Temari remarked and threw a few more socks into her backpack. "After all, I only recently knew that you discovered the opposite sex for yourself."

"So that Sakura has the hots for another man, you would have to kill off Uchiha first," he said sarcastically. "Whatever she sees in that guy is completely beyond me."

"If it hadn't been for Sasuke, Morio would probably have done worse to me."

His posture changed. "Can you sleep again, Tem?"

"It gets better. I don't dream about it every night any more. ” She closed the backpack. "Have you heard from Gaara who is being sent from Iwagakure?"

"As I have heard, Kurotsuchi will attend another meeting." She sat on the bed and sighed. "I'm afraid that the Alliance will fall apart because of this."

"Do not worry. Shikamaru will make sure that doesn't happen. "

Temari sighed again. "Yes, how he looks after the problems of the rest of the world."

"You can give him a little time to relax when you're in Konoha." The tone of voice and his wink left no doubt what Kankuro meant.

"You are really shameless, Kankuro."

He raised his hands in defence. "The only thing that matters to me is the well-being of this poor fellow."

"Pah, as if you really care how Shikamaru is doing."

He rolled his eyes.

“He loves you and that's enough for me. As much as I had my doubts, but he is good for you and you for him. So I stop saying bad things about him. Unless he hurts you. Then he gets to know my fists."

"Good to know where your priorities are." She got up and shouldered her backpack. She had stowed her fan in a scroll. “I am ready to leave. Will you still accompany me to dinner?"

"Do you pay?"

"Like always."

While she followed her brother outside, she watched the sun slowly disappear on the horizon.

She didn't know how to explain to Shikamaru that she had bad news again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if anyone had noticed but I love to write interactions between the characters during their meals or while they prepare food. 😁


	19. CATastrophe

As head of the Nara clan, one of his duties was to ensure that the stags and the other red deer were doing well in the forest. Since he hadn't checked if everything was in order for too long, he decided to take on this task on his day off. He got up before sunrise and shouldered his backpack.

Like every inhabitant of Konohagakure, he had a special bond with trees.

They were testimony to the founding of their village and namesake of a tradition that had spread all over the world. Without Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara there wouldn't exist the Village Hidden in the Leaves today, probably not even the other shinobi villages. Shikamaru therefore not only paid attention to the inhabitants of the forest, but also to the deeply rooted shady trees. The heart and lungs of Konoha.

He had been on a small pathway for some time and finally arrived at the river that was one of the most popular gathering points for deer.

Here he didn't have to wait long for the curious animals to arrive. As if they had watched him from the first step, one doe came, sniffing, out of the thicket. Shikamaru put the backpack down and reached inside.

He always had a few goodies with him to persuade even the shyest deer. They were specially developed pills that not only had tasted every deer up to now, but also served as protection against diseases.

A fawn stuck its head out from behind its mother. He smiled at the sight.

How many he had already helped into the world himself, he could no longer count. He and Shikaku gave birth to his first fawn at the age of eight. He was still proud of it now. Shikamaru still couldn't put into words how this moment had changed him. At some point he hoped to be able to pass on all the secrets of the clan to his own child.

"Come on little one, I'm not hurting you."

He put the pill on the palm of his hand and held it out. He went to his knees slowly and in a controlled manner. As if asking him to do so, the doe nudged her cub to come forward. The fawn looked cautiously in all directions, ears up, and put one leg in front of the other. Finally it stuck its head out and gently touched Shikamaru's hand. The tongue caught the delicacy. As soon as the pill disappeared in his mouth, the fawn hopped back again. Shikamaru now dared to move again. In the meantime more deer had joined them.

"Then let's get down to business."

At that minute Temari stepped over Shikamaru's doorstep and put her fan in the next corner. She slipped off her shoes and crept to the bedroom. She had learned with Sakura's help that Shikamaru had a day off. This had wonderfully overlapped with her own plans. Before she let herself be blackmailed any further by Gouza and Jouseki, she would carry her point. Gaara had been all too willing to give her a mission. She imagined the faces of the elders in Suna with a smirk when they found out that Temari was unfortunately absent.

She wanted to see Shikamaru. She missed him. He'd be happy to see that she was getting better. She wasn't feeling 100 percent well yet, but she was on the mend. Being around Shikamaru would surely help her.

It was not by chance that their path led through Konoha. She not only wanted to surprise Shikamaru, but also needed certain medicinal herbs that were only found in the temperate climate of Konoha. Through her function as ambassador, she was able to move relatively freely between the villages and she had to be able to use this to her advantage. She pushed open the shoji door and expected to find a sleeping Shikamaru. Instead, she saw a neatly made bed and yawning emptiness.

Where was Shikamaru?

* * *

The hours in the forest passed so quickly that Shikamaru only noticed that the sun had reached its zenith when clouds darkened it. He quickly attached a self-adhesive bandage to the injured deer's leg and straightened up. The young stag let himself be scratched behind the ears for a moment and then followed his friends.

Shikamaru looked at the sky. A huge rain cloud was on the way. He quickly threw his equipment into the backpack. He'd rather be home when the rain started. He had just taken three steps when a small black shadow jumped down from above and stood in front of him. He instinctively reached for a kunai.

"What are you doing here?"

* * *

Nobody she met seemed to know where Shikamaru was. She had now run into Naruto and asked Kiba, Shino and Hinata. Even the Hokage and Shizune just seemed to know that Shikamaru hadn't to work today. Where he was was still a mystery. She had not even met him at one of his favourite places - that is, where he lazily loitered and watched clouds.

Last but not least she finally went to Ino. Someone in this village had to know where one of the most important shinobi Konoha's was. Since a huge bunch of people was waiting to be served by Ino, Temari looked at the flowers.

There were few things Temari missed in the desert. One of these things was the bright colours of plants. Gaara had been collecting cacti for several years and had made many of them bloom. Only it was completely different compared to the colours and shapes you saw in Konoha.

She stopped in front of a flower that looked particularly intense and extraordinary. The basic colour itself alternated between red and orange, reminding one of the setting sun in Suna. From the center to the tip, deep red dots formed a wild pattern. The total of six petals curved backwards, with the tips almost touching each other at the end. Thin, yellow threads peeked out towards the front and bent slightly to one side. Their ends looked like wooden handles. Temari stepped closer and saw something collecting there that reminded her of the fine sand of the desert. Temari held out a finger to see if it felt the same.

"Do you like the tiger lilies?" suddenly Ino spoke from behind her.

Temari winced because she had been caught. Her hand withdrew. Ino grabbed the vase with the lilies and motioned Temari to follow her.

"I have seldom seen someone looking at a flower so fascinated," said Ino. "I'm giving them to you."

"You don't have to, Ino," she stammered. "I'm actually here for a different reason."

"You are looking, Shikamaru."

"How do you know?" Ino smiled and cut the lilies.

She also had other equally colourful flowers ready.

"If you knew where Shikamaru is, you wouldn't be asking all over the village," Ino explained. "I suppose he doesn't know about your visit?"

Temari nodded. Until now she had always thought that Shikamaru would do absolutely nothing on his days off. She was now painfully aware of how wrong she had been.

"Do you know where Shikamaru is?"

* * *

His plan to arrive home dry had vanished when the small, black and white cat pounced on him. She had bravely hunched her back, put up her hair and hissed at him. Shikamaru, who knew such attitudes from cats, had not been impressed by it. Dogs were less complicated and, most importantly, not that stubborn. If he had had to choose, his choice would not have been a cat.

What had moved him to take a closer look at her was her poor general condition. Their fur was dull and dishevelled. The ribs could be counted individually, even from his position. It was also a very beautiful animal with white paws and a small, white spot on its chest. He couldn't just walk away like that and leave the animal to its own devices. This was his forest; his responsibility.

He could of course have used his Kagemane no Jutsu to catch the cat. It just didn't seem very fair to the animal. After initial scepticism and with claws drawn, the cat had accepted that he was allowed to come closer to her. At first she sniffed his feet, which Shikamaru thought was a bad idea. Judging by the expression on the cat's face, she also seemed to regret her decision. Then suddenly her head rubbed against his legs.

First with his fingertips, then with his whole hand, he had stroked her fur. According to the vibrations that shook the delicate body, the cat purred meanwhile.

A few more strokes and she threw herself on her back and stretched her tummy towards him. Then Shikamaru also realized that it was obviously a boy. At least if he correctly interpreted what was presented to him so bluntly. Finally he was allowed to hold the nameless cat with both hands and pick it up. The cat cuddled up to him only too willingly when Shikamaru tucked him into his vest. Shortly afterwards the clouds opened their gates and large raindrops broke out from them. The rain broke even through the foliage and made him wet through and through.

* * *

"He's probably in the Nara Forest," Ino said as she arranged the flowers in a bouquet.

Temari rummaged in the back of her mind for all the information about the Nara clan that she could find and found disappointingly little information there.

"I'm afraid you'll have to explain this to me, Ino."

"You two are really made for each other." Ino sighed.

Whatever Ino meant with this comment, Temari didn't care, as long as she finally knew where Shikamaru was hiding. She had wasted more than enough time already.

"So where is this forest and how do I get there?"

"Unfortunately you can't get in there," Ino said with a shrug. Undeterred, she continued to gather the flowers in a bouquet.

"I beg your pardon?" Temari thought she had misheard. "Do you have to have a secret password or what is the obstacle?"

"You need the permission of a clan member," Ino explained, unimpressed by Temari's mocking tone, and wrapped a ribbon around the bouquet.

"What if I enter there without permission?"

"Do you want to be chased away by deer or wild boar?"

"Are you serious?" Temari stared at Ino with open mouth. She was now wrapping paper around the bouquet.

"I'm not kidding about that. Nobody is allowed to enter the forest without explicit permission," emphasized Ino. "Even Choji and I cannot go into the forest without Shikamaru's consent. Even if the history of our three clans goes back a long way."

Temari continued to look at Ino sceptically. It sounded so silly that there should be a magical forest in the middle of Konoha that she had never heard of. From the tone of voice and the expression on Ino's face, however, it really seemed to exist. She knew how proud Shikamaru was of his clan membership. She would have to ask him a few questions later.

It started raining, matching her mood.

* * *

When he got to his apartment, he first got rid of his soaked clothes. The cat crawled all too willingly out of his vest and jumped to the floor. Before Shikamaru could do anything, his new room mate tipped away into the depths of the apartment.

Shikamaru took this as a good sign and went into the bedroom first. He needed fresh clothes when he came out of the shower. When he entered his bedroom he thought he could briefly perceive a whiff of Temaris perfume. He shook his head. She was three days' walk away from him. He must have imagined it.

Maybe he still smelled some of it because he hadn't washed his clothes yet. As he went through the plan for the rest of the day, he wondered if the cat would like mackerel.

While Ino gave her some relationship tips without being asked, Temari was still lost in thoughts about Shikamaru. She wondered why he had never told her that it was part of his duties and traditions to look after the deer in Nara Forest. Suddenly she questioned herself. Hadn't he found her worthy to be privy to this secret? After being together for so long, she was terrified not to know about such a vital part of his life.

Finally the sky cleared and the rain stopped. She thanked Ino for the flowers and the advice and said goodbye. If laziness didn't drive him home, hopefully the rain would.

After his shower, he had taken the chance and washed his laundry. He stepped onto his porch with the laundry basket and distributed the freshly washed laundry evenly on the lines. Moving out of home had its downsides. Neither freshly washed clothes nor a warm meal awaited him when he got home. The cat crept back to his legs. Apparently he had completed his exploration. A quiet meow escaped the cat.

"Well, buddy, I don't have a name for you yet, but we're sure to get your fill."

As if he understood, the cat followed him into the kitchen.

Temari opened the door and listened to see if she heard anything. She put her fan down again and took off her shoes.

Then she heard Shikamaru's voice: "No, I told you that you are not allowed on the counter!"

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. Did he have a visitor? Whoever was with him seemed to have answered so quietly that she couldn't hear.

"No, I don't have any more fish for you."

Was Choji with him?

She knew that Shikamaru's best friend and teammate would rather eat meat, but when there was food he was usually less interested in what it was as long as it tasted good. She was more than curious now as she moved in the direction of Shikamaru's voice.

"Ah, no. Ouch!"

When she turned the corner, the mystery finally emerged.

"Is that a cat, Shikamaru?"

"What are you doing here, Temari?"

Just now he had admired the audacity of the cat, just jumping on his shoulders and chasing his claws through his skin, when the next moment Temari was standing at the entrance to his kitchen. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers and grinning.

"I actually wanted to surprise you and not the other way around," she remarked, the grin in her voice.

"Well, it's not only a cat, it's a boy," he told her. "Can you take him off me maybe?"

Temari put the bouquet in the sink. Then she stepped up to him and pulled the cat into her arms. Shikamaru could immediately hear a purr. Temari scratched his chin with a finger. The cat closed his eyes with relish.

"Does he have a name?" she wanted to know now.

Based on their behaviour, Shikamaru determined that this was not the first time Temari had held a cat. The still wild and dangerous cat looking for more fish, bumped his head at Temari's chin. Smiling, his girlfriend leaned down and hugged the cat.

"I am for devil's span."

"You're not evil at all, are you buddy?" Temari's voice sounded almost like a coo.

"After he ate all of my fish, he got pretty uncomfortable and intrusive," he explained.

She didn't seem to notice him when the cat lay down on one of her shoulders and began to brush one of her braids.

Shikamaru couldn't believe that it only took a cat and Temari showed her mild side.

After all, the cat had had enough of cuddling. She put him down and he meowed again before he ran out of the kitchen, as if struck by lightning.

"He is cute, will you keep him?"

Temari had followed the cat into the living room and caressed his soft tummy. She had fallen in love with him at first sight. He looked so wild and dishevelled.

She had always wanted a cat in the past, but Rasa had put a stop to it. So she had secretly fed and cuddled the stray cats in Suna. Until she couldn't find time for it.

Shikamaru only sighed when she asked him to keep the little rascal. Finally he announced he wanted to make some food and drove her out of the kitchen. The cat rolled back and forth. She smiled at the sight.

"Well, you seem to get along well," said Shikamaru and put a plate on the living room table. He had draped some onigiri on it.

"Unfortunately I have no more food at home," he apologized. "But we can go out to eat right away if you like."

She moved a little on the sofa so Shikamaru could sit next to her. The cat was not impressed, but curled up. He glared at the food out of the corner of his eye, then yawned and closed his eyes. Temari grabbed one of the rice balls and took a bite.

"You still haven't told me why you are here," Shikamaru began and reached for food himself.

“Sakura told me that you are free today. So I took the next mission so I can come over. However, my plan backfired, ” she explained after she swallowed. "I was here this morning, but you were already gone."

Shikamaru took his time to answer.

“I suppose you were with Ino, otherwise you wouldn't have any flowers with you. If I had known you were coming, I would have stayed at home. "

"Sure?" She asked. “Ino told me about your clan's forest. That you look if everything is alright there. Why did you never mention that before? "

She watched to see if he was uncomfortable with the question. Shikamaru, however, continued to eat.

"I didn't think it was a big deal," he replied, looking at her. “For me it is part of my everyday life. Nothing special."

"I think it's special," she replied.

Actually, she had intended to poke him up, but now that she was sitting next to him, she was proud of what a great man he had grown up to be. He did not complain about the amount of work, but did what was asked of him. He performed the duties of his clan and did not consider them special. Temari could only admire him. When she thought about it, how often she had scolded him before and he had just accepted it. He was no longer the lazy Genin he was when they first met.

She pulled him by the collar of his shirt and kissed him.

"What was that for?" He finally said when she let go of him again.

"Because you are a great man, Shikamaru," she said in a hoarse voice.

"Next time I'll take you with me into the forest, Temari."

"It would feel honoured. Really."

Temari took the last of her onigiri and looked shyly at Shikamaru from the side. She wanted so much to tell him what was bothering her. But as long as so many things remained unresolved in Suna, she could not include him. Even if he was one of the most important people in her life, he could not make the decisions about Sunagakure's future for her. She knew it would make him sad. Only she couldn't keep it from him. So she looked at him and hoped that everything would turn out fine.

"What do you think of Arashi?" Confused, he looked at her. "As a name for the cat."

"Well, since I obviously don't have to decide whether he stays here, you can of course choose his name," he remarked sarcastically.

"Thanks," she said and gave him another kiss. This time on the cheek. He blushed slightly.

"Oh, Shikamaru?"

"Yes?"

"Let's go eat something. Normally I like your cooking skills, but this is inedible. "

The traces of the attack were no longer visible and Shikamaru was grateful for that. Temari also seemed a lot more relaxed than they'd last seen each other. She no longer flinched every time he touched her and seemed to be fine again.

There was something comforting about her chasing the cat around with a little paper ball. When Arashi disappeared into the bathroom with his prey, Temari leaned back on the sofa and grabbed his hand. Naturally, she leaned against him and closed her eyes. Shikamaru buried his head in her hair. She gave a pleasant sigh.

"Coming here was a good decision."

"Do you think?" He had to smile.

"Yes. I don't want to be anywhere else right now."

Shikamaru hugged her from behind and pulled her to his chest. He had clearly been too worried about Temari.

"I'm very pleased to hear that."

"I have to tell you something, Shikamaru." Immediately he noticed how she tensed.

"What did the council in Suna do again?"

“I was threatened that they would replace Gaara and that not Kankuro becomes the new Kazekage, but someone else. Also, the daimyo would cut our money if I didn't approve of the wedding. And they wouldn't agree to a wedding between us. ” She searched for his hand. "I think they have something to do with the incident at the Chunin exams."

"So we need a new plan."

She let out a deep breath. "Yes. That's why I'm here too. I cannot attend the next Shinobi Union meeting. I have been obliged to appear on my father-in-law's birthday. "

He was silent and thought about it. But right now there was nothing he could do. So he kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer to him.

"We'll find a solution for that too."

"At least you are confident."

“Let's just stop talking about how the whole world is trying to boycott our relationship. I just want to have you to myself for once. "

She made a sound of approval. He could have just sat there without talking. It just felt good to be so close to her. But his new room mate had other ideas. There was a loud clink from the bathroom in the quiet of the apartment. Temari laughed while Shikamaru groaned.

"Now I not only have a troublesome woman, but also a destructive cat."

"So he can stay?"

"Yes," he sighed. "But only on the condition that he is not allowed into the bedroom."

"Deal."

* * *

Temari spent the next day shopping for Arashi. She knew that she had taken way too many toys with her, but when she imagines the little ball of fur carrying the feathered, stuffed mice around, her heart opened up. She would never have admitted how much she loved the idea. So, completely lost in thought, she only noticed that her shopping bag had torn when Naruto loudly called her name.

"Oh thank you Naruto." As usual, he grinned all over his face.

"What did you buy that for?" It was a ball of hemp with feathers on it. "Is that for Mirai?"

"No, for Arashi."

"Arashi?"

"Shikamaru has a cat since yesterday," she replied.

Suddenly her bag tore open completely and the entire contents emptied on the floor.

"Looks like you need help."

"Seems so."

He was used to a lot. Not too many situations surprised him. When you counted Naruto as a friend, you always had to expect the worst. But when Shikamaru came home and not only Temari sat on his living room floor and played with the cat, but also Choji, Sai and Naruto, he wondered if this would be a daily picture.

Arashi seemed to be enjoying the attention very much. At least he was chasing wildly after the rod to which a fish was attached. Choji laughed exuberantly while the cat beat his paws at it.

"Good evening, Shikamaru", Sai greeted him, who was the only one who noticed him.

"Nice to see you."

"Naruto helped me carry Arashi's toys home," Temari explained when she saw his sceptical look.

"We wanted to pick you up for dinner," put in Choji and scratched the cat behind the ears. "Why didn't you say you have a cat?"

"Arashi has only been here since yesterday."

Temari grabbed the cat and pulled him onto her lap.

Shikamaru looked around his apartment and noticed the small changes. Next to the television was a padded basket for the cat. There was also a rod with a toy mouse hanging in the hallway to the bedroom. There was a new blanket on the sofa. He'd definitely find bowls for food and water in the kitchen, along with a supply of cans of cat food.

Even if he wanted to get rid of the cat now, it was too late. Temari smiled to herself as the cat brushed her hands with his tongue. It was important to him that she was doing well and if a cat was needed for that, then he accepted that too.

* * *

"I do not want to go."

Shikamaru, who was putting on a shirt to accompany Temari to the gate, thought he had misheard. Usually she wasn't that clingy and grumpy when they had to part, but he had also noticed in himself how much harder it was for him to let her go. As soon as he was fully clothed, she threw herself around his neck. He hugged her tightly.

"It will be all right, Temari."

"Can't we just move to Tetsu no Kuni, change our names and become civilians?"

"Well, we could, but then Kiba will become Naruto's advisor, Omoi will take over the Shinobi Union and Kankuro will look for us until he finds us."

He noticed how she vibrated with laughter.

"We'll find another solution, but I think it's good that you have considered all the options."

Since Sai, Choji and Sakura would also leave for Kumogakure, the three were already waiting for Temari at the gate. She hadn't let go of his hand as soon as they left his apartment. He didn't know why her fear of losing hit him all of a sudden, but he didn't want to laugh at her for it. His heart gave him a sting. Their relationship still had an expiration date and he couldn't and wouldn't accept that.

"Take care of yourself," he whispered in her ear. Then he took her face in both hands and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Her cheeks turned red and, ashamed, she turned to her travel companions.

"Hold the line here, Shikamaru."

"I will, Choji."

* * *

Temari took over the night watch with Sakura on the first evening. She listened to how she talked about her everyday life and working with children.

She used to think Sakura was weak. A kunoichi with no special skills, who was far behind Naruto and Sasuke. She had long revised her opinion. Not only had she saved Kankuro's life and eliminated Sasori, but also saved countless people from death in war. Sakura was a person who never gave up and cared for her friends to the extent that she often put herself aside. She admired this particular strength in her character.

"I hope that in Kumogakure I can convince the Raikage to cooperate with us," said Sakura and sipped her tea. "Maybe you can help me if you tell a little about the successes in Suna."

Temari laughed out loud. “You'd have better taken Naruto with you. He has a kind of himself that even softens the Raikage. "

"I thought your connections in the Shinobi Union could give me an advantage."

From the way she said that, Temari could tell that Sakura wanted to ask her something else indirectly. She only had to look into her eyes for a moment and she knew what Sakura implied. Temari lowered her cup of tea and set it aside.

"Shikamaru talked to you."

"Yes." Sakura bridged the distance to her by stretching out her arm and putting her hand on her shoulder. “I didn't really want to bring it up. I had promised Shikamaru to keep quiet."

"Only once do I wish that no one interferes in my life." She couldn't keep anger from resonating in her voice. “What did he tell you? How I cried? That I don't want to marry him? Or how I pounced on him to force him to sleep with me? "

“Please don't be mad at him. He needed someone to talk to. It burdens him. "

"Then why isn't he talking to me?" Her voice became a hiss.

"Your reaction shows me why he has avoided that so far."

“Everyone pretends that I will rip their heads of immediately. We always talked. "

"Obviously both of you are overwhelmed with the situation," Sakura said nonchalantly. “I don't want you break up because of it. You are important to me."

"It's just none of your business, Sakura."

Her eyes softened.

"I love Sasuke," she uttered softly. “And nobody understands why. Everyone tells me to give up on him. Look ahead. But I can't just stop loving him. I tried. After he tried to kill me, I didn't even convict him. "

Temari stared at her with his mouth open. She knew about the numerous things Sasuke had done. Her own brother had shed tears when they fought against him. Nobody had believed that Sasuke would find his way out of the dark hole he had gone into. But he had changed for the better. He had saved herself from Morio continuing to violate her. Yes, Sasuke had changed. Had returned to himself. Just hearing what he had done still shocked her again and again.

"He has what?"

“When all of the Kage met and Danzo was the sixth Hokage, I left with Sai, Kiba and Lee to dissuade Naruto from looking for Sasuke. Shikamaru had made it pretty clear to me at the time that leaving Sasuke alive would lead to a war between Konoha and Kumo. We had to act urgently. So I took on this burden. I wanted to take Sasuke down. Prevent him from hurting everyone and especially Naruto and me. "

Sakura withdrew her hand and hugged herself. As if that would shake off the effect those memories had on her. Temari saw her swallow hard.

“I don't have to tell you what a stupid idea that was. I couldn't bring myself to do it. If it wasn't for Kakashi-sensei and Naruto, I would have lost my life that day. After that we were immediately drawn into the chaos of the war and I didn't have time to be clear about my feelings. Everything came down on me later and I invested a lot of time in working through it all. Above all, it helped to talk to Sasuke about it. We talked a hell of a lot. You should finally talk about it together. What your wishes and dreams for the future look like. Don't care what the council wants, but what you want. "

She finished her talk with a deep breath. Temari couldn't be angry with her. No one had ever opened up to her like this before and she was grateful that she was trusted. Completely uncharacteristic of herself, Temari got up and pulled Sakura into a hug.

A voice in the back of her mind noticed how much Konoha had changed her, but it just felt right. As the two women broke away from the embrace, they smiled at each other. It didn't need any words. The foundation stone had just been laid for a friendship that neither woman could have imagined.

“Let's wake up the men. For my part, I would like a few more hours of sleep. "

* * *

The cold autumn weather in Konoha was an absolute contrast to the heat in Suna. Even if it was a little cooler there at this time of year, Shikamaru had to get used to it again. After Temari's departure to Kumogakure, he had finally found the time frame to take a short trip to Sunagakure.

After the last meeting of the Shinobi Union, he had made a decision for himself. In any case, he would ask Temari if she was going to be his wife. The conversation with Sakura had only confirmed his decision.

Wanting to get this right, he didn't rush off to buy a ring and kneel in front of Temari to ask that one question. He wanted the consent of the people who were most important to Temari: Gaara, Kankuro and Baki. The elders in Suna would have to live with this decision. He was ready to cover all eventualities and to draw up contracts for Konoha, but there was nothing more for him to shake that Temari would become his wife if she wanted to.

This feeling of being able to lose her all the time made him insecure on so many levels. Like Temari, he finally needed clarity. So now was the time to act.

Shikamaru sat in the Kazekage's office and waited with him for the arrival of Kankuro and Baki. While he was talking to Gaara about irrelevant topics in order to distract himself from the nervousness, the minutes passed excruciatingly by. If he was still terribly excited that Temari got to know his mother, it taught him to be afraid to face the man who had taken on something like a father role long before Rasa had died. He knew that the three siblings had a deep bond with Baki. He was not only their sensei, but the one who stood by their side with advice and action in all matters of vital importance.

They finally entered and Shikamaru jumped up to greet them. Baki gave him a strange look as he bowed to him. Kankuro had raised an eyebrow too.

“Thank you very much for coming. I have a request. "

“Is Temari okay? I know that she was on her way to Kumogakure and wanted to travel via Konohagakure. "

Of course, Kankuro always assumed the worst straight away. Which was no wonder when you consider what happened recently in the Land of Iron.

“She should have arrived there now, too. She travelled there with some of our shinobi. "

Kankuro seemed to be reassured by this answer, because he made a sound and crossed his arms in front of his upper body.

"Shikamaru would like to discuss something with us," said Gaara.

"You want to ask for Temari's hand."

Baki's voice wasn't questioning, he stated it as a fact. Shikamaru nodded slowly.

"I want to ask if I can ask Temari to be my wife."

"Yes," said Gaara and Baki without hesitation. "No!" Kankuro uttered at the same time.

Gaara looked at his brother.

"Why do you mind, Kankuro?"

"Temari will kill us all if she finds out that we have given Shikamaru permission without her knowledge."

Shikamaru had to agree with him. That too had been his fear. When he presented her the ring and she found out afterwards that everyone had known, it wasn't just him who was a dead man. He just wanted to use this surprise effect for himself. It was his only chance.

"You are forgetting an important point," said Baki with a smile. "Nobody makes Temari smile like Shikamaru."

Kankuro took a step towards Shikamaru and held out his hand.

"Then welcome to the family, brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I translate my fanfic from my native language German to English I had to made some adjustments. 
> 
> This chapter originally was named "Katzenjammer"...a term that is translated to "hangover" in English (the online dictionary also told me the word "Katzenjammer" exists as a colloquial word in America. Can anybody confirm this?) 
> 
> I wanted to make a wordplay that you only can understand if you know about the different meaning of the word "Katzen" (cats) and "Jammer" (wailing/lamentation) in German. So I had to think of something for the translation and came up with "CATastrophe". 
> 
> The name "Arashi" means storm in Japanese. Since it's obviously Temari's cat now, it seems to be a fitting name.


	20. Too late

The Kumogakure mission was relatively uneventful, apart from the fact that Temari saw Karui and Choji exchange amorous glances. In the meantime she had heard from four different people how the date in Konoha had gone and when she thought back about it, she couldn't help laughing. So she entered Gaara's office in a good mood and handed him the report on her mission.

"You are very happy," remarked her brother with a hint of a smile on his face. "Did something happen?"

"It just felt good to be in Konoha and Kumo."

She sat on the chair in front of his desk.

"That's good to hear." He put the pen aside and looked at her questioningly. "Is there anything else, Temari?"

"I have an idea how we can end the contract and make everyone happy," she said, crossing her legs.

Gaara found it hard to hide his surprise. She put on an even wider smile.

"I'm going into a fictitious marriage with Kana."

* * *

Shikamaru had never felt so good after his return from Suna. He slept much better and got more accomplished at work than he had done in a long time. His good mood was so visible that even Kakashi asked him if something had happened.

But Shikamaru stayed silent and just enjoyed the feeling of having finally made the right decision.

As Christmas was slowly approaching, he had various ideas how he would ask for Temari's hand.

One of them was to kidnap her into the snow-covered Nara forest and invite her to the little hut that stood next to a lake and surprise her with it in the evening after a homemade meal by the fireplace. Alternatively, she thought it was good to challenge her to a game of shogi and present the ring at the end. Or he would lead her up to the Hokage Rocks, where the best view of Konoha was when the sun went down. He had even considered taking her on a little trip to the sea and asking her there, because he knew how much she wanted to go on vacation there.

Shikamaru liked to have a plan.

But before he even planned any further, he needed a ring.

However, since he couldn't go to a jeweler easily - if he was lucky, he ran into one of his friends - he needed someone to help him.

At first he had thought of Ino. She would know what Temari liked. But he had immediately dropped this plan when he thought about how quickly his upcoming engagement would make the rounds. Sakura would have been the next logical choice. She had proven how secretive she could be and he knew she would only help willingly. What stopped him was the simple reason that he didn't want to hurt her. She waited longingly for a sign from Sasuke. To his return to Konoha. While watching everyone around her getting married and starting families. Therefore she also was out of question. Hinata would have helped him too, but he knew that she didn't know Temari well enough to be of any help to him. At TenTen he didn't even have to ask. She had so little to do with all the women's stuff that she later suggested that he buy an engagement kunai.

So, lost in thought, he walked through the streets. He never thought that it would be this troublesome to ask Temari to become his wife.

Then his mind wandered on. The wedding also had to be planned. He ran his hand through his hair. That would be more extensive than originally thought.

"Shikamaru-niisan!" He turned around and saw Mirai running towards him at a dangerous pace. He quickly crouched down and caught her.

"Hey, Mirai. Where is your mother?" She looked at him and shrugged. The gesture reminded him so much of Asuma that he had to laugh.

"Mirai!" he already heard Kurenai calling.

So that she didn't get away from him, he quickly lifted her into his arms.

"Your mom is worried, Mirai. You can't just run away like that."

"Niisan," she mumbled and wrapped her little arms around his neck. Perhaps Kurenai had an answer to his dilemma.

* * *

Kankuro, Gaara, and Baki stared at her like she'd gone mad. It was Kankuro who was the first to find his words again.

"Have you been drinking, Tem?" She snapped a finger at his forehead.

"Ouch, damn it."

"I'll put it a little more diplomatically than your brother," said Baki. "Do you think that is the only solution?"

"Yes," she replied. "In this way the council will not cause us any problems."

"No," said Gaara. "I can't approve of that."

"But what speaks against entering into marriage and getting divorced again in the end? I got on very well with Cana. He doesn't want this wedding either."

"And what if he changes his mind afterwards?" Kankuro had now crossed his arms. "Then you are stuck in a marriage that you don't want. You know how strict the rules are for a marriage to be divorced. What did your shadow boy say about the idea?"

"He doesn't know anything about it."

Now Kankuro groaned. "So you decided to do it alone. Instead of trusting that Gaara, Baki and I somehow managed to break this contract, do you want to pass over not only us but also Shikamaru?"

Temari swallowed. She hadn't decided this on a whim at all. The idea was certainly not a hundred percent waterproof, but it didn't want to cause further disturbance.

"Why don't you want to marry Shikamaru?" Gaara asked suddenly.

"I want to marry Shikamaru, but not like that, Gaara."

"I do not understand that."

She touched her forehead. It had been hard enough to make him understand why most people were in relationships. The discussions about why couples got married had been just as exhausting. He understood the concept of love, Temari knew that. After all, that connected him to his siblings. But love as a partner was completely alien to him.

"I don't want a marriage with Shikamaru if it's just an escape from a contract."

Gaara made a sound of discomfort.

"The guy loves you. What kind of securities do you need?" interjected Kankuro.

"Do you want me to move to Konoha, Kankuro? Because that's what it will amount to. And then the council will put a stop to the whole thing anyway."

"You should trust your brothers," said Baki gently. "There's no point in discussing that now. We still have time. First of all, you will attend the wind daimyo's birthday."

She nodded.

"Have you been able to find any connections between the incident at the Konoha exams and the council?"

"Not yet. However, Konoha supports us. We expect a report in a few days."

* * *

Shikamaru had accompanied Kurenai home and finally brought Mirai to bed for her afternoon nap. They were sitting in Kurenai's living room with a cup of tea. There was a picture of Asuma on a sideboard. He could hardly resist looking there again and again.

"Something is bothering you," said Kurenai. "Since you're looking at Asuma's picture all the time, it will probably have something to do with Temari."

He felt caught and put a hand on the back of his neck.

"Your powers of observation are far too good, Kurenai," he replied, ashamed.

She laughed. "I saw you grow up. And your father always had the same expression on his face when he was busy with Yoshino."

"What a drag," he muttered.

Kurenai laughed again and covered her mouth with her hand.

"I think you've made a decision. You look relaxed and happy. With a touch of nervousness. If I had to guess, I would think your trip to Suna a few days ago was private."

"How do you know?"

"You forget that I know Kakashi."

She raised her cup to her mouth to hide her smile.

"You are right. I was in Sunagakure to ask to be allowed to take Temari as my wife."

Kurenai put the cup down. He saw how suddenly tears of emotion glittered in her eyes.

"That's one hell of a step, Shikamaru."

"I know, but I've never been so sure of anything."

"So your visit has a reason?"

He nodded and took a sip of the green tea himself.

"I have to choose a ring and I need a woman's opinion."

"Ino would surely like to help you?" Now Shikamaru shook his head.

"I have to make sure that Temari doesn't get to know of it. Ino will be silent, but she is always so excited about things like this. Temari could get suspicious."

Kurenai nodded understandingly.

"Very well. Then I'll see how we can find the right ring for your future wife." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm so happy for you, Shikamaru."

* * *

Temari's good mood continued until they entered their accommodation on the Wind-Daiymo estate. After that she was immediately received by a bunch of women who wanted to teach her the right etiquette for the upcoming banquet. She didn't know why she wasn't trusted to behave appropriately, because her father and later the Kunoichi training had prepared her more than just to behave in an exemplary manner at social events. She knew when to speak, how to eat and how to dance.

That didn't stop the women from complaining about her. They found their hair awful because it was too frizzy and dry. She also had to work on her posture. Their clothes did not meet the expectations of the ladies. When they also criticized how she ate her food, too hectic and completely unladylike, she had snorted anger and said goodbye and fled to the gardens of the property in the hope of getting some rest. She would have loved to throw a couple of kunai to get rid of her aggression. Instead, she lay down on one of the loungers that stood under the large palm trees and stared at the sky.

She would much rather be in Tetsu no Kuni now and have heated discussions with Shikamaru in the Shinobi Alliance. Instead, they had locked her in this golden cage and wanted to train her like a circus horse.

Her idea of agreeing into a fake marriage with Kana just sounded so silly right now. She didn't know what she'd gotten into thinking like that. For months it has only revolved around this one topic. She was really thinking about starting a new life in Kumo or Kiri so that nobody bothered her with it anymore.

 _Mendukose_ , she thought, and had to smile.

She didn't know why it was so difficult to just trust her heart.

Shikamaru had never meant or done anything bad to her. No, he had received her with open arms, never pushed or rejected her.

 _Except for once_ , a nasty voice whispered to her in her head.

Yes, and that honestly hurt her. But it wasn't his fault, it was hers. She wanted to push him to make her feel better. She hadn't felt ready for it herself, at least not at that moment, and yet she would have carried on if he hadn't vehemently put a stop to it.

Temari felt incredibly stupid. She played with his feelings. Not even a confession of love passed her lips because she was unable to utter such words because of her messed up childhood. If Kankuro heard her thinking, he would shake her and ask what had become of the woman who screamed everything and everyone into the ground and taught everyone to fear.

_Maybe you don't love him at all._

She sat up in frustration.

"It's all so exhausting," she growled.

"What is exhausting?" asked a curious voice.

It was Kana who was standing by a tree and was carrying a tray of cool lemonade on his hands.

"Everything," she replied. "Nice to see you, Kana."

"The pleasure is mine, Temari," he said and ran up to her. "I thought maybe we have a little time to talk before the hustle and bustle starts tomorrow."

"We absolutely have to talk."

"That's what I thought."

* * *

Working through the meetings in the Land of Iron without Temari just wasn't the same.

It wasn't uncommon for them to miss each other. After all, it had happened before. Before his relationship with her, however, it hadn't bothered him as much as it did now. Especially since he knew where she was instead and how much she hated being there. No matter what happened there, Shikamaru would propose to her. The ring was safely stowed at home in a place where his cat would not find it easily. He had asked Ino to take care of Arashi and hoped she wouldn't let him into the bedroom or even spoil him even more than Temari already did.

It was good life with his new companion. They had come to terms with each other in the short time and he was only scratched once a day by Arashi, which usually happened when he didn't get his food on time in the evening. As if he wanted to live up to his name, he ran like a wild storm through the apartment several times a day, tearing everything he could find with him. One day the cat had started carrying his shogi stones around. At first it had amused him until he realized that the cat had already kidnapped at least ten of them without his knowledge.

The shogi board moved into his bedroom.

Arashi had not only declared Shikamaru's apartment to be his domain, no, the garden was also his own territory.

He had to laugh even now when he thought about how Kiba and Akamaru had visited him shortly before his departure. Arashi had fallen on Akamaru, completely unimpressed by the dog's size, and had clawed his face. Then Akamaru no longer dared to go into the garden. Kiba had only asked, impressed, if he had gotten a Temari in the shape of a cat.

These words from Kiba had led Shikamaru to finally notice what had bothered him during Temari's last visit. Her hot temper had suddenly disappeared.

It might only have been three days, but never once had she started an argument. She had spent a lot of time with Arashi, cooked for both of them in the evenings, and had been so affectionate as he had never known. In the evenings she had just snuggled close to him, but broke off when she wanted to do more than just kiss.

She hadn't turned him down straight away, but he had noticed how uncomfortable she was and made no attempt to touch her more than necessary.

Normally she would have reprimanded him for not at least soaking his dishes in the morning or just laying his towels on the floor. But nothing of the sort had happened. Temari had changed and he hated it.

He knew why it was like that. It was Morio's fault and his. She resented him for rejecting her when she wanted to sleep with him. Even if she never said that to him, Shikamaru didn't need confirmation. She had acted differently. So different that he'd noticed. She might enjoy his company, his care, but he had apparently hurt her and that completely unintentionally. He just wanted to do the right thing. All of the elation of the last few days had suddenly turned into a black hole that drained his strength.

She had started moving away from him and it scared him.

"Do you have anything else to add, Shikamaru?" Omoi asked him.

He started out of his thoughts and saw everyone staring at him. It was embarrasing; really embarrassing. Because he hadn't noticed that Omoi's lecture was over. He still remembered speaking about the fact that Kumogakure had sent Shinobi to support Kirigakure.

“Sorry, Omoi. I must have been somewhere else with my thoughts. "

Shikamaru noticed how sweat stood on his forehead. How long had he not listened?

"No problem. We were able to send out a total of ten Shinobi so that Kirigakure is supported, in addition to an unspecified number to ANBU. "

"Ok, good," he looked into the faces of his colleagues. "Um ..."

"I suggest a break," Kurotsuchi helped him. "We will continue in two hours."

Grateful for the interruption, everyone streamed out of the conference room. Only Kurotsuchi remained. She stood in front of him and looked at him worriedly.

“This is really atypical for you, Shikamaru. Even if you were so disinterested in the topic, you always noticed everything. "

“I just slept badly. Maybe I'll lie down again right away. " She nodded and wanted to leave the room, but before she opened the door she paused again. “You can always talk to me if it helps. I don't know why Temari isn't there, but you seem to be concerned. My door is open to you. "

He mumbled a "thank you" when she had already left the room.

* * *

Kana wasn't bothering to find out why she was in a bad mood. He just sat on the nearest lounger and sipped his lemonade while he asked her questions about her work and what it was like to live in Suna. She talked extravagantly about everything she had achieved in the Alliance so far and tried not to think that she would much rather be there now.

"What is your favorite place in Konoha?" He asked her suddenly.

"Hadn't we just talked about Suna?" She was confused about the change of subject.

“Yes, but I would like to know what's interesting about Konoha. I know sand and desert enough. What you say about Suna is really fascinating, but your heart beats in the village hidden under the leaves. "

Still amazed at his powers of observation, she sat cross-legged on the couch and looked at him.

So much charm and intelligence flashed in Kana's eyes. He seemed amused by her reaction, as she could see in the corner of his mouth.

“I love the clouds,” she heard herself say. “While the sun shines constantly in Suna, you never know what to expect when the sky in Konoha darkens. It can be a wild storm that is coming up, a rain shower, but what I like most are the clouds, which only briefly darken the sun and then dip everything back into this strange light that you can only see if you are cautious."

Kana started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Didn't you say that Shikamaru likes to watch clouds?"

Did she say that? She noticed how her face turned red. _Oh damn._

"You look cute when you blush."

"I'm everything but not cute!" she gasped.

If it had been Shikamaru or Kankuro, she would have hit Kana on the arm. But she definitely didn't want to provoke trouble by beating the daimyo's son. So she contented herself with crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"I have to tell you something, Temari," he suddenly said seriously and put his glass to one side. All of her hair stood up when he said the next word.

"It is not possible for me to terminate the contract because my girlfriend refused my marriage proposal and ended the relationship."

* * *

Kurotsuchi had taken over the leadership for the second half of the meeting, as Shikamaru still felt unable to contribute anything useful after the break.

He had gone to sleep in his room, but he woke up with a headache that was still pounding in the back of his head. Kurotsuchi only nodded to him as he sat down and bluntly explained the progress Iwagakure had made in locating the Nukenin from Kiri. This time he listened carefully, even if it was incredibly difficult for him. Shikamaru didn't know when he had last felt so miserable.

  
_Did he get ill?_

That was the last thing he needed now.

Last year he had a bad cold and he had been lying in bed with a fever for the three days in Tetsu no Kuni. Temari had taken care of him carefully at the time and had even stayed until he was better. Even if they hadn't been together at the time. She even delivered him at Konoha. Of course she had teased him with it for months, but he still wouldn't forget how good it felt when her hand touched his forehead.

Once again he had only heard half of the discussion. It made no sense. He couldn't concentrate. Aneko traded places with Kurotsuchi. She sat down next to him.

"You still don't seem to be feeling better," she muttered to him. “Don't you want to lie down again? You're pretty pale. "

"It's okay," he replied.

Shikamaru just had to wait until Aneko was done, then he would give a report from Konoha's perspective. Then he could leave and hand the rest into the hands of his colleagues. He was a shinobi. He could endure.

* * *

"Say that again." Temari looked horrified.

Suddenly she panicked. She didn't think she could breathe. Obviously you could tell because Kana jumped up and took her hand.

"Take a deep breath, Temari."

She tried to concentrate on her breath, but her whole upper body felt so blocked. Kana sat down next to her and stroked her back soothingly.

She had to calm down. There was always a way out. All was not lost yet. Normally she would have pushed away anyone who came too close to her without being asked, but his presence helped her. She still wished he was Shikamaru.

"Why does everything always go so terribly wrong," she said more to herself than to Kana. "I'm really sorry, Kana."

"You don't have to be sorry. You have the least to blame for it. After all, you only recently knew what was decided without your knowledge."

She looked at him and now realized how close he was sitting to her. She quickly moved a little to the side. He noticed her discomfort and let go of her hand.

"You have known about it for a while? That we should both get married?"

"No, not that you should be my future wife. I knew I should be married next year, but not with whom."

She didn't know who to pity more, herself or Kana. Probably Kana had it easier than she. He had grown up in these circumstances and probably didn't find it as restrictive as she did. As the daughter of Rasa Temari had never had the freedom like a normal, civil girl, but now she could act as she pleased. At least almost. She had to make a decision.

Kana snorted when he saw the pained expression on her face.

"A marriage with me wouldn't be that bad," he replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Would your council agree to a wedding with Shikamaru?" She shook her head.

It was so incredibly easy to talk to Kana. He was understanding and intelligent. His charm and appearance are sure to impress many women. In another life she could have fallen in love with him. In a life where she would have felt comfortable becoming the wife of a man who had so much power. If she had been someone who had neither an opinion of her own nor such a distinct personality. Kana was a good man. He would one day make a woman very happy. But that wouldn't be her.

"Tomorrow I will have to talk to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire so that I can become a resident of Konoha. Can you help me, Kana?" "Sure."

He got up and straightened his robes. "I don't want to stand in the way of your happiness, Temari."

* * *

He got ill.

Shikamaru had barely made it to his bed and collapsed there powerlessly. The next thing he remembered was the forceful knock on his room door.

"You will open the door immediately, Shikamaru, otherwise I'll kick it open," said Kurotsuchi.

He somehow managed to get up and walk to the door, even if it was one of the most exhausting things he'd ever done. Except when he nearly died on the battlefield.

His head felt like the rest of his body, like walking through water. Kurotsuchi eyed him critically and took him by the shoulders.

He let her maneuver him back to the bed. She pulled the chunin vest off his body, lifted his legs and spread the blanket over him. He didn't protest when she put a hand on his forehead.

"Your temperature is up," she remarked. "Didn't we have the same situation last year?"

He heard her amusement in the voice.

"Yes," he said in a scratchy voice.

"Now that Temari is not there and I don't trust Omoi or Chojuro to kill you and - kami knows - where Temari is, you must put up with me."

"I just need sleep."

"I'll get you tea and antipyretic drugs so you can go home tomorrow. Maybe I'll find a doctor too."

He nodded and fell asleep again.

* * *

Temari had briefly informed Gaara and Kankuro about the current developments after her conversation with Kana and then withdrew to her room. She was no longer in the mood for company.

She longed to hear Shikamaru's voice. So she picked up the phone and dialed the number of the accommodation in the Land of Iron. At the reception she asked to be put through to his room. It took forever before he picked up the phone. The line finally clicked.

"Mhm," came the other end.

"Temari here. Have you slept yet?"

"Tem? What's up?"

His voice was hoarse and scratchy. In addition, terribly washed out.

"Have you been drinking, crybaby?" she teased him.

"I'm sick."

His words came to her slowly and very indistinctly. Now she was worried. She knew how he would react when he was sick. He fell into a kind of febrile coma almost immediately and did not get up for the next three days. She got so mad about the situation. She could have been with him now. Instead, she waited for that silly birthday.

"Do you have someone to look after you, Shika?"

"Yes."

She heard a woman's voice in the background and the clatter of cups.

The voice made her nervous.

What if he had lied to her? Maybe he had drunk too much after all and ended up in bed with a nice, uncomplicated woman?

She hated herself for the thought, but the conversation with Kankuro haunted her mind. Especially after she had stopped any attempts by him to touch her on her last visit.

Was that how she drove him into the arms of another woman? Then she heard a noise from the telephone receiver.

"Hey Temari. Kurotsuchi here."

Temari let out a sigh of relief. Any other woman's alarm bells would have gone off. But Kurotsuchi had far more important things to do than deal with Shikamaru.

"Nice to hear your voice. What about Shikamaru? Has it got him bad?"

"He's got a fever and I've got him a doctor. Tomorrow I'll send him back to Konoha with Chojuro. I don't think it's so bad this time."

She nodded even if the other person couldn't see it.

"That's good. Are you staying with him?"

"Omoi wants to take care of him tonight." She lowered her voice. "Why aren't you at the meeting?"

"Tomorrow is the wind daimyo's birthday." Kurotsuchi laughed on the other end.

"That sounds like fun."

"Yeah, can't think of anything better," she grumbled.

"I'll hand you to Shikamaru again. He seems to be awake now. Take care. And you have to tell me at some point how the birthday was."

"I will tell. Give my regards to everyone."

She heard the phone being handed back.

"Hi, Tem." His voice didn't sound much better than before, if a little clearer.

"I didn't know that you'd be sick if I wasn't around you."

He sighed audibly. "Shouldn't you have pity on me, woman?"

She grinned.

"I feel sorry for you, but if I get too nice you will get used to it and you will only get lazy." Now Shikamaru was panting at the other end.

"I wanted to ask you something anyway. Would you like to come to Konoha for Christmas? We'd eat with my mother if you don't mind."

"I'd love to, Shikamaru."

"I'm going to hang up again. My head is killing me."

"See you at Christmas then. Get well soon. I miss you."

"Me too," he just mumbled and then there was silence on the line until it clicked. She held the phone for a while as if she could hold Shikamaru.

It was different.

Something had changed.

* * *

_"I can't be with you, Shikamaru."_

_Her voice was cold and merciless. HEreyes full of hate. She held her fan in front of her like a shield. Ready to swing it. "_

_You don't mean it, Temari."_

_You didn't protect me when you needed to. What kind of man are you anyway?"_

_She sneered at him._

Nightmares were nothing new to him. He didn't panic, but opened his eyes and looked at the dark ceiling. The dream had only reflected his fears. No wonder as present as the loss of Temari was in his life. He tried to shake off the dream and her cold eyes.

His head had stopped pounding and the fever seemed to be gone. Omoi sat next to his bed and fell asleep.

He had told them all that he wasn't terminally ill, just had a little fever. His friends and colleagues hadn't been impressed by this. A doctor had injected him with something. Whatever it was, he felt instantly better.

Shikamaru vaguely remembered the conversation with Temari. He was still too foggy with fever. At least she would come to see him for Christmas. That overlapped wonderfully with his plans.

He would make sure they talked for next month and remove the uncertainties between them. And then he would ask for her hand. But first he would get some sleep.

The journey home was certainly exhausting enough.

* * *

The banquet started late in the evening and made Temari increasingly nervous. She had come up with a plan to quietly ask the fire daimyo what he thought of a connection between Suna and Konoha and whether he would approve of her becoming a citizen of Konoha without getting married.

Kana would make the contact. In terms of the seating arrangement, they were strictly separated according to their countries. She herself sat at the table with her brothers, Kana and her future father-in-law. Sipping her drink, she looked at the other tables.

She had seen some of the shinobi from the other villages before, but she didn't know anyone well enough to engage in a conversation with them. Her eyes wandered to the Fire Country.

Apparently none of her friends were assigned to watch the daimyo.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Dear guests. I would like to briefly ask for your attention", the voice of the daimyo rang through a microphone.

"Temari, my love, would you come to me?"

She went to the stage with a bad feeling. Kana looked at her and shook her head. He probably didn't know what would happen now either.

"Today I not only invited for my birthday, but also want to announce something." He took Temari's and Kana's hand. "My son is getting married next year and it will be this beautiful woman. Let's give the bride and groom a big applause."

Temari didn't want to look into the horrified faces of her brothers. It was just too much. All the carefully worked out plans were suddenly ruined.

Then she passed out.

* * *

At this point Shikamaru was almost on the border of the Land of Fire and had no idea what was happening on the banquet in the Wind Country.

They had made relatively good progress. Whatever had blown Shikamaru yesterday was gone in the morning.

Matsuri had spontaneously joined them. She kept asking them questions about the Shinobi Alliance and asking how they could improve. Her presence and her cheerful demeanor were a relief. Shikamaru was only too happy to answer her, as it distracted him from his own worries. Chojuro kept teasing her whenever she asked another question. It was like talking to her like a little sister.

Before they reached the border, they said goodbye to Chojuro and from there jumped through the thick trees of his homeland. Most of the trees had shed their leaves by now and if they bounced too hard from the branches, the last leaves rained down on them.

Shikamaru unconsciously dodged them, while Matsuri snorted every few meters and complained when the leaves hit her face.

After another hour, Shikamaru suggested a break. Matsuri filled their bottles by a small stream while he started a fire.

It was very secluded in this area and shinobi rarely got lost here. So he had no problem getting them some comfort from the warmth of the fire. He rummaged in his pockets for the supplies he had gotten and tossed Matsuri an apple when she came back from the water.

She wiped the apple briefly and took a hearty bite.

"I can understand that Temari-san likes your company," she said and sat on the floor in front of the fire.

"Oh yes?" he asked, poking around in the wood.

"Aside from the obvious," she said, taking another bite from her apple.

"The what?"

She giggled. "Any woman with eyes on her head will notice your good looks." She winked at him. "But apart from that, you are a pleasant company. You are polite and courteous. You also make everyone feel that you are listening to them completely. That makes you a person you like to be around."

Shikamaru noticed how his face tingled because of the compliment. He didn't like being praised. He couldn't handle that at all. His hand went automatically to the back of his neck.

"Um, thanks. I can only return the compliment." Matsuri laughed out loud.

"I know that I annoy everyone around me. Temari-san already let me fly around with her fan when I annoyed her too much."

"She did that?" That sounded a lot like Temari. She did not hesitate long. He missed her quick temper and hoped it was only temporary that she was so different.

While Matsuri was telling the story of how Temari had slowed her down, he looked into the fire.

 _The will of fire, huh?_ he thought sadly. _Where's yours, Shikamaru?_

* * *

There was something good about her fainting. She no longer had to deal with putting on a fake smile and pretending to be having fun. The downside, however, wasn't just a worried looking Kankuro circling around her bed, but a startled Kana holding her hand.

“I'm sorry Temari. If I had known what my father was up to, I would have intervened. "

"We can't change it now, Kana," she replied sadly.

"It doesn't look like giving up without a fight at all," said Kankuro. “You always fight your way out of all situations. We can still make sure that you marry Shikamaru. "

"Stop it, Kankuro."

She closed her eyes because she was still sick and dizzy. It was as if the public announcement of her engagement had taken away all of her will to live. Temari couldn't stand this anymore. She didn't want to talk.

“I tried to persuade my father that I could take someone else as wife. You have to believe me ”, came from Kana in a pleading voice.

"Can you please leave me alone?"

"Shouldn't I get a doctor after all, Tem?"

"I'm just exhausted and want to think."

When they left the room, they turned off the light. Temari stared into the darkness for a long time.

She had made up her mind.

* * *

He had only just taken his place at his desk when a knock on the window tore him from his thoughts. Shikamaru had been waiting for a sign of life from Temari for days and was about to start the journey to Suna himself, as he didn't know when she would return from the daimyo's birthday.

He was seized with a nervousness that he did not know about himself at all. Shikamaru was scared. He was terrified of losing her. So he went to the window and took the message from the hawk. He breathed in and out deeply before opening the slip of paper.

_Hi Shikamaru,_

_when this letter reaches you I will hopefully be back in Suna._

_Unexpected complications have occurred._

_Kana is no longer with his girlfriend, and to make matters worse, our engagement was announced publicly._

_So I couldn't even ask the fire daimyo to become a resident of Konoha. Since all the other Daiymo were also present, I don't have much choice but to move to the Land of Iron..._

_Didn't you have a plan for that too?_

_I hope you are better_

_I'm really looking forward to visiting you at Christmas._

_I'm so sorry for everything._

_Kiss,_

_Temari_

"Damn, damn, damn!" he exclaimed as he crumpled up the paper and threw it away.

He knew there would be problems. All was not lost yet, but fighting the council in Suna and the daimyo would now be even more difficult. All of his plans suddenly seemed so useless. He had to think. There was sure to be a solution. Maybe they should really run away.

In the meantime he was ready to give up his life as a shinobi completely.

He couldn't and didn't want to lose Temari.

* * *

The nights in Suna weren't the same and would never be again. She said goodbye. 

To her life as the Kazekage's sister, as Kunoichi and above all about the future with Shikamaru.

Tears dripped onto her lap. She'd never wanted to let it get that far, but Sunagakure was more important. She was running out of alternatives.

She didn't want Shikamaru to give up his life just to be with her. He should be able to live his dreams. Make Naruto the Hokage, help him create peace in the world. He couldn't do that if she forced him either to move to Suna or if they started a new life together somewhere else.

They both had duties and they couldn't just push them aside. His roots were in Konoha.

Their love wasn't more important than that. Not more important than a better life for everyone in the world.

Her dream of a village that knew no more poverty and in which the residents neither suffered fear nor hunger was more important. More important than their love.

But even if she knew that and her head whispered to her that this was the only correct solution, the only way, she would have to tear the heart out of herself and Shikamaru as well.

She didn't know how to tell Shikamaru her decision.

She wanted to enjoy the time with him one last time.

Feel his love and soak up all these moments before she left. Because it was time. There was no longer a single viable path.

He would understand. But he wouldn't accept it.

_I'm so sorry Shikamaru._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is not only the longest of the whole story, it also was a hard one. And it's really important for the rest of the story. 
> 
> I wanted to point out that Shikamaru choses to give a damn about everyone, he would make Temari his wife, even if hell breaks loose. That he trusts his heart. 
> 
> While Temari thinks about the consequences for her village and the whole world and choses the logical way. 
> 
> We all know that she also wants to marry Shikamaru, but she can't brush away her worries. Let's see if Temari stays with her decision to end their relationship.


	21. Devotion

Snow was not uncommon in Konoha, but Shikamaru had never seen the amount of snow that was falling these days. When it wasn't snowing, he decided to go into the forest and check on the deer. Choji went with him. He told Shikamaru about the current developments with Karui.

"She asked me if we should try a relationship."

"I'm very pleased, man," he said, patting him on the shoulder. "You deserve a great woman."

"She's coming to Konoha for Christmas. I wanted to introduce her to Ma and Pa."

Shikamaru had to smile. As insecure as Choji was, he could only be happy for his friend. Karui seemed just the right woman. He had known her for a long time from working in the Alliance and knew she would make his best friend happy. The way Choji's cheeks glowed, he was head over heels in love.

"That's a big step. Does Karui know about her luck?"

Choji nodded and put the backpack on his back.

"She suggested it on her own initiative. I'm supposed to meet her parents next year. How is Temari? Is she coming over Christmas too?"

"Quite good," Shikamaru replied shortly. "She should be on her way right now."

If he was honest, he didn't know how Temari was doing. She had written to him as usual, but her letters lacked depth. There was still something between them that he couldn't pinpoint. He hoped the next few days would finally silence this uncomfortable feeling in him. Shikamaru thought of the ring that was waiting to be put on her finger the right moment.

"Hey, maybe we can do something together. We'll also ask Sai and Ino if they're up for it," suggested Choji.

"That can certainly be arranged."

Finally they reached the forest and Shikamaru was greeted by a doe who had apparently started to calve. Now he was more than happy to have come, because it looked like she had problems with it.

* * *

Temari sat shivering in a tea house with Sakura and Hinata. She had only briefly left her things at Shikamaru's and after he was not there, she went to the Hokage Tower. It was there that she met Sakura, whom she had taken to her date with Hinata without further ado. She sipped her tea and listened to the two women discussing the latest happenings in Konoha. The door was thrown open again Tenten and Ino entered.

"Hello Temari! Nice to see you", Ino greeted her and sat down next to her.

Tenten briefly raised her hand: "Tell me, how are you?"

"The usual. I travel back and forth between the villages and have to do boring contract negotiations. In between, the Council of Suna complains that I have ignored any interests of the Land of Wind and travel back and forth."

"I couldn't do that," said Hinata. "I'm too happy to be in Konoha for that. I wouldn't like to keep leaving my village constantly."

"Apparently Temari likes to do it," interjected Sakura and fished a stick with dango from the plate. Temari did the same.

"Somebody has to do the job." Tenten was absolutely right, but Temari allowed herself the luxury of entrusting Matsuri with these tasks from time to time. Most of all, she needed someone to succeed her and that was pretty soon.

_How would the rest of the Alliance feel when she left?_

"Do you really want to stay in Suna forever?" Ino's question could have sounded innocent, but Temari knew exactly what she was referring to.

_What if Shikamaru wants to marry you? Do you want to tear him out of Konoha?_

"Well, it depends on how everything works out in the future," she replied evasively.

"The way I see it, Shikamaru and you will get married at some point. He has a lot of obligations here. It would be logical that you would live together and start a family in Konoha." She left her speechless. Ino had never addressed the subject so bluntly before.

"Ino!" exclaimed Sakura. "Can't you just let her be in peace?"

"That's none of your business, Sakura," Ino snapped back. "Shikamaru and Choji not only have duties to their own clans. We are obliged to each other."

That was clearly too much for Temari. She got up and put Ryo on the table for her share. She had enough of it. The calls that followed her as she passed the tea house ricocheted off her. She wanted to get away; somewhere else.

Just get away.

Shikamaru had just lay down on his sofa when the door slammed open.

Arashi, who had just slept peacefully on the sofa, jumped up in panic and ran away. The door bounced off the wall. He jumped up and shortly afterwards Temari was in the room.

"Alcohol."

"Um, what?"

"Do you have alcohol?"

He sat down and ran his hand through his hair.

"I may have some wine somewhere. But isn't it a little early for that, Temari?"

Shikamaru had known that she had arrived, but he couldn't explain why she was so upset. She was feisty. He had always known that. And that's exactly what he missed. He just hoped he wasn't causing her anger.

"Get the wine, we need to talk, Shikamaru."

Without further ado, he got up. He had promised her to be there when she needed him. So he would drink wine with her in the middle of the day too.

She didn't want to scare Shikamaru by just storming into his apartment. Her emotions had just boiled over. She needed to talk and that urgently. Temari thought she would explode soon. She and Shikamaru had danced around the subject for months. There had to be clarity at last.

Shikamaru wordlessly put the glasses and the open bottle on the table. She grabbed it and filled her two glasses to the top. Immediately she took a long swig. He just sipped the glass.

Shikamaru rarely drank alcohol, and she admired him for it. She didn't know how many times she woke up the next morning after one night with Kankuro and the alcohol and wished she hadn't exaggerated so much.

"You have to make it clear to Ino that she will stop questioning me about us. I know that you told her about Kana and I don't blame you for it, but if she tells you about the traditions of your clans again, I'll have to throw her off the Hokage rock ."

Shikamaru choked on his wine and stared at her.

"Today she wanted to know if I would stay in Suna. It sounded like she blamed me for the fact that we weren't engaged yet. As if I was preventing you from fulfilling the duties of the Nara clan."

Temari would be damned if she let Ino go on like this in her life. She urgently needed a break from these issues. Especially after she had already made up her mind. She wanted to enjoy the last few days with Shikamaru and have a good time before confronting him with the direction in which her decision was going.

But Ino's words had made her sway. Because that's exactly what she wanted. A future with Shikamaru. She didn't want to waver. However, when she looked into his brown eyes did she overturn all her decisions.

"I can't think about how things will go on with us as long as things are unresolved. We have never really talked about how things will go on with us. What if the contract cannot be resolved? And how do we proceed if it does? This uncertainity is eating me up. There no progress for months and I don't have the strength to do act like everything is okay. I'm damned scared, Shikamaru.”

He put his glass on the table and put his hand on her cheek. His smile was sad.

"I'm scared too, Temari. Knowing that you could disappear from my life right now makes me panic. I still have so many plans open, one crazier than the other, just so we can be together. But we wouldn't be happy with that. Neither of us. I can only offer you to fight with you to the bitter end. "

She didn't give him time to explain what he meant, but pulled him into a kiss.

 _I love you_ , she thought. _Why does it hurt so much to love you ?_

Shikamaru was happy when the haunted expression on Temari's eyes finally disappeared. They talked for hours with more depth than they had in a long time. It was difficult to maintain closeness when you lived three days' walk apart.

He had noticed that she still felt uncomfortable around him. He knew that something had broken between them. Because they had hardly seen each other, Temari seemed unconsciously afraid, but he wouldn not address this openly to her. She was a strong woman and he would help her as best he could.

He had noticed the dark circles under her eyes and her pale face. Otherwise Temari was as chipper as life itself. It worried him that she slept badly.

In the meantime evening had arrived. She leaned against his shoulder and yawned.

"Tired?"

"Mmm."

"Do you want me to put you to bed?"

"Mmm."

He turned her so that he could easily pick her up and took her into his arms. Her arms were clutched tightly around his neck.

"Sleep with me," she muttered washed out.

He froze for a moment. _Did she really say that?_

"What did you say?" But there was no answer.

He put her gently on the bed and pulled the covers over her. After laying himself behind her and kissing her on the cheek, he heard her say: "I meant it, Shikamaru. Sleep with me."

He looked for her hand. So he hadn't misheard. Shikamaru didn't know how to deal with this request. He didn't mean to say anything wrong. He had already repelled her advances once before, driving her away from him. He didn't want to make the same mistake again.

"Not today, Tem. Tomorrow is another day too."

She giggled. How he'd missed that.

"I didn't mean today, crybaby."

Then all tension escaped from her body as sleep overwhelmed her. Shikamaru lay awake for a long time, thinking about her words.

* * *

She didn't tolerate red wine too well. She had known that before too.

When she raised up in bed with a racing heart, not only did everything spin, but she became incredibly sick. Behind her she just heard a sleepy "'mari?" and rushed out of bed into the bathroom.

She vomited once or twice, then only bile came out. Her stomach continued to cramp and she hung over the toilet, breathing heavily. The sweat ran down her face.

Yesterday she had only eaten a few dango and nothing else. Her body seemed very resentful.

Shikamaru had apparently managed to peel himself out of bed. She flushed the toilet so that the smell of vomit disappeared. He crouched down next to her.

"Shall I make you some tea?"

She shook her head. She just wanted to lie here and die in peace. Her stomach hurt, her head was pounding and she suddenly felt so powerless.

She heard Shikamaru get up and turn on the tap. He got down on his knees again and carefully pulled her up. He gently wiped her face and mouth with a cold, damp cloth. His hand supported her.

"You have a fever," he remarked as he put his hand to her forehead.

"I never get sick," she replied.

"Can you get up alone?"

Instead of answering, she got to her feet and stood on shaky knees. She wanted to get out of the bathroom past Shikamaru when her vision went black. His reflexes, trained for years, ensured that she did not fall on the floor.

"Am I allowed to help you now, troublesome woman?"

Temari found himself swaying between amusement and concern.

"Maybe I'm sick after all." Then he snorted.

She didn't know when she was last really sick. Possibly as a small child, but she couldn't ask anyone because everyone who knew about it had passed away. She still noticed how she was wrapped up warmly then she fell asleep again.

Even when it was snowing heavily, Shikamaru made his way to his parents' house. He had hated to leave Temari behind, but had put another pot of tea next to the bed and put a wet towel on her forehead before he left.

Her whole body suddenly seemed to be on fire. In theory, he knew how to take care of someone who was sick. But he didn't have pain medication at home, nor did he know what Temari had been infected with. He knew many recipes and remedies of the Nara clan by heart, but most of the ones he needed were specially designed for deer.

In order not to do the wrong thing, he wanted to ask his mother for advice. After all, she had taken care of him when he was ill. He stepped over the threshold and ran into his mother, who was carrying her cup from breakfast into the kitchen.

"Morning, mum."

"Shikamaru! You're up early. Are you okay?" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Follow me into the kitchen."

"Temari is sick and I don't know how to help her."

Yoshino ran water into the sink and soaked the dishes. He had his hands buried in the pockets of his pants.

"Does she have a fever?"

"Yes, it's pretty high, actually. Her forehead is glowing and she threw up earlier."

His mother turned to him. "Did she eat something bad?"

"I do not know that."

"I'll come with you and take a look. Is that okay?"

"I would be very grateful to you, Mum. I'm worried."

She nodded. "Go into the study and get me the little red book on the second shelf from the left, third compartment. You can't miss it. I'll get the rest."

As soon as Temari recovered, Shikamaru would fetch a huge bouquet of flowers for his mother.

Confusing dreams haunted her and tormented her sleep. She tossed around restlessly in bed. At first her was warm, then her was incredibly freezing again.

"Temari, dear. Wake up." At first she thought she heard her mother's voice. When she opened her eyes, Yoshino Nara was sitting on the bed. Shikamaru stood behind her, frowning.

"W-what?"

Her mouth felt dry. She could hardly concentrate.

"Help her sit up, Shikamaru," commanded Yoshino. "And put another pillow behind her back."

She didn't like being lifted around like a wet sack at all, but she didn't even feel able to move. The fever went all over her body and she felt weighed down with stones. As soon as she sat upright, Yoshino counted her pulse on her wrist and stuck a thermometer under her tongue. She tried not to choke. It was hard to keep her eyes open.

"I'll ask you a few questions, Temari. All you have to do is shake your head or nod."

She nodded.

"Have you eaten fish, meat, or unwashed fruit in the past few days?" She said 'no'.

When travelling in the desert, it would be wise not to take any perishable food with you. A wave of nausea shook her. Yoshino took the thermometer.

"Are you pregnant?"

"Mum! You can't ask questions like that!" Temari was amused by Shikamaru's indignation and she chuckled. He shot her a sharp look.

"Don't act like that. You know that certain meds are dangerous for pregnant women." Shikamaru sighed.

"No," Temari croaked. "I am not pregnant."

"Your fever is over 40 degrees celcius. I'll give you something to stop the nausea and then we'll lower your fever."

"Thank you, Yoshino."

She was really grateful. Even if she didn't like that Yoshino saw her like that, it was a great feeling to be taken care of.

"You do not need to thank me." She turned to Shikamaru. "You stay with her while I prepare everything."

Temari closed her eyes and heard the door close.

"I'm sorry, Tem. I didn't know how I could help you. And my mum knows all kinds of diseases. She doesn't live as far away as Sakura or Ino."

He took her hands in his. It was only then that she realized how cold she was.

"I feel really miserable," she said. "You could have called Naruto for help too, if that made me feel better."

"Have I ever told you how I got sick on a mission and Naruto tried to make me a soup?"

She opened her eyes with difficulty. "No I do not think so."

"I don't know why, but he not only threw vegetables and meat in the soup, but also chamomile flowers and peppermint and other greens that I still don't know what it was."

She had to laugh. "Did it help?"

"No. I vomited all night. When we got to Konoha, Sakura scolded him. He has never tried to poison me like this since then."

Sitting up straight became exhausting.

"I'm tired. Can you help me?"

Instead of answering, he carefully hugged her, pulled the pillow that supported her back to one side and laid her back. He brushed the hair from her sweaty forehead and gave it a kiss.

"I'll get you another blanket and turn the heating up."

He got out of bed and wanted to take action immediately.

"Shikamaru?"

"Yes?"

"I meant my words from last night seriously. All of them."

She would have loved to see him blush, but sleep hugged her with its heavy arms.

* * *

In order not to disturb Temari, he let her sleep for the rest of the day. Yoshino had shown him how to make a tea that would help against the nausea. She had also left a syrup to lower the fever. Around noon, Sakura came by and brought pain medication. She also took a quick look at Temari and asked to come and get her, should she feel worse.

At some point Arashi had loudly insisted on going into the bedroom. Reluctantly, he had let the cat in. Immediately he hopped on the bed and lay down at Temari's feet.

Shikamaru used the time and wrote reports for work. The snow storm made it impossible to go outside. He was brewing coffee when he heard Temari's voice. He hurried to her quickly.

She sat on the edge of the bed and was trembling. Her hair stuck out on all sides. He saw her trying to get up, but failing. So that she wouldn't try again, he helped her up. She had hardly any body tension. Shikamaru had never seen her like this before.

"I have to go to the bathroom," she admitted. "I also need different clothes. I've sweated all over the place."

"I'll help you into the bathroom and find you a shirt from me." He heard her whimper. "Are you in pain?"

"I'm so ashamed. I wanted to spend a few nice days with you and now I'm a wailing heap of misery."

"I would have travelled to Suna so that I could take care of you. We can't just spend the good times in life together." They arrived at the bathroom.

"How you do that?"

"How do I do what?"

"No matter how miserable I feel, you always raise me up."

"I want you to be fine. Always." He stopped in front of the toilet. "Should I help you?"

"No matter how bad I feel, but that I can do alone."

* * *

It took two days and then she suddenly felt better. Not in a way that she wanted to jump up straight away, but the soothing warmth of a shower was just so incredibly good and revitalized her spirits. She dried her hair and entered the bedroom wrapped in a towel.

For the past few days she had only slept in Shikamaru shirts. Since she was still not quite healthy, but hadn't vomited since this morning, she rummaged in the dresser and looked for something to wear. She didn't want to sweat any of her clothes.

Her hand met something solid, which turned out to be a small box.

 _A ring. An engagement ring,_ shot through her mind.

She quickly pushed the box back into the drawer. She didn't want to be caught rummaging through his things.

Especially not that he saw her with this jewellery box in her hand, because she knew if it was really a ring, he would immediately kneel in front of her and ask her the one question.

And she wouldn't be able to answer him. At least not with the answer he hoped for.

She had just picked out a pair of shorts and a top when Shikamaru entered.

"I made you tea," he announced. Startled, she turned around. Fortunately, the towel stayed where it belonged.

"Oh thank you." Undeterred by her scanty clothes, he put the tea on the bedside table. He wanted to sneak out of the room again, but she walked up to him and grabbed his wrist. He reacted instinctively and pulled her close. Their lips found each other.

"You taste good."

"My soap smells alluring on you."

She immediately noticed the charged tension between them. The towel was the only barrier. It could escalate so easily; too easy. It hadn't been a good idea to pounce on him like that, but she'd missed him.

For the last few nights he had slept on the floor on a futon. She wanted to fall asleep next to him again because they were running out of time. On her last evening she would finally let him in on her plans, even if she was afraid of it.

"Would you sleep in the same bed with me again tonight, Nara?"

"Nothing would stop me."

* * *

Temari had insisted on going outside and taking a walk in the snow. She had cabin fever after spending the last few days inside.

He had reluctantly agreed. She was still pretty weak on her feet.

He had tried not to be frightened when he saw her rummaging around in his dresser.

If she found the ring, all of his plans would have been immediately dashed. Sure he could have improvised, he was quite good at that, but he didn't want her to feel like making this proposal because they had no other choice, but because he could only imagine her as his wife.

She had hooked up with him and let him lead her through the streets. Even if the two of them weren't romantically inclined, they didn't lose the magic of the moment either. They passed children who were building snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other.

Shikamaru imagined shortly that one of these children would be his and Temaris. He wondered if her child would get her eyes, because if you asked him what he liked most about her smile, it was her eyes. As green as the leaves of his homeland with a hint of blue that reminded him of the stormy winds on the sea.

"Do you want to join them?" Temari asked him suddenly. Apparently she had noticed him watching the children.

“We used to throw snowballs at the academy,” he said. “At least until Ino got a hard snowball from Kiba right in the face. Then Iruka-sensei forbade us all to throw snowballs ever again. "

He smiled at the memory. It was a good time back then. Even he had participated and built a huge wall of snow with Choji behind which they had hidden. Even Sasuke, who usually never took part in any activities with his classmates, was full of vigour.

"I still remember how I built sandcastles with Gaara and Kankuro." Shikamaru saw her looking up with her eyes as if she remembered it like it was yesterday. A smile sat in the corner of her mouth. “Before Rasa forbade us to play with Gaara. Kankuro asked Gaara to make a pile of sand in the shape of poo. What he did of course."

Shikamaru immediately snorted. "Of course Kankuro would like that."

She narrowed her eyes happily and grinned.

“Sometimes I wish for that exact day to be back. When everything was so easy and carefree. "

"Well I can't offer you sandcastles, but we can build a snowman."

"That's childish, Shikamaru."

Instead of answering, he kissed her.

“It's less childish when we bring in someone who would also be happy about a snowman. Come along."

Temari was not at Kurenai's first time. As always, she greeted them warmly and agreed that they could take Mirai with them to build a snowman. She felt her heart sting when she thought that she would say goodbye to Shikamaru and all her friends in Konoha when she parted ways.

But she had to put her feelings aside, otherwise she couldn't stick to her plan. She had to act for the benefit of Suna. She couldn't be selfish, but thought of all the people who would suffer from the decision if she chose not to marry Kana and hope not to lose Konoha as an ally. When she thought about what a commotion it would cause in the Shinobi Alliance that she went and parted ways with Shikamaru.

The thought made her sick.

While Mirai was happily jumping around on Shikamaru's hand and talking about building the biggest snowman in all of Konoha, she immediately wanted to turn around and go to Suna. Give the people in the council a got yell and tell them to stick their contract where the sun never shone.

She would break Mirai's little heart too.

* * *

"The food was great as always," Shikamaru announced two days later when they had finished Christmas dinner at Yoshino's.

"You are just not used to eating properly, Shikamaru," his mother replied. "How often do you cook unless Temari is there?"

Temari, who was sitting next to him, smiled slightly. All evening long she was lost in her own world. Shikamaru didn't know what was bothering her, especially since he had believed everything between them was finally settled. She was hiding something from him and he didn't know what.

"Shikamaru is really good at cooking," Temari helped him out.

"How much did you pay her to say that?"

Temari's smile widened. She looked conspiratorially at his mother. It didn't take a good turn for him. If his mother and girlfriend allied, he was a dead man.

"Do you seriously think I could get Temari to say something like that without me being badly wounded in the hospital the next day, Mum?" Now both women laughed.

"You can relax, Shikamaru. I'm sure that you can take care of yourself," soothed his mother. "Still, I would be interested how you managed to persuade Temari to go on a date with you."

He sighed loudly.

Temari got hugged by Yoshino as they said goodbye and that had made her swallow hard. She had returned the hug at least as powerfully and thanked her again for helping her when she was so sick. It became more and more difficult to keep the facade upright.

While she had hoped to spend the Christmas days happy and satisfied with Shikamaru, this visit seemed to be pure agony for her. First Mirai and Kurenai, then Yoshino and tomorrow she would also meet Ino, Sai, Choji and Karui. Everything felt like a goodbye. Because it was nothing else.

Shikamaru also seemed to notice that something was wrong. He squeezed her hand questioningly as they made their way to his apartment. She shook her head and smiled at him.

_Everything is good. Do not worry._

How she hated lying to him. Played an ideal world for him if she had to break Shikamaru's heart in a few days.

He stopped anyway. To keep him from asking more questions, she leaned forward and kissed him. He wanted to part from her lips, but she just held him tight and used her tongue so skill-fully that Shikamaru couldn't help but respond.

After all these months she knew exactly how to make him forget what he was going to say and just fucking kiss her. She noticed how her tactics worked. He also pulled her closer. His hands found themselves under her cloak and cupped her behind.

When she was sure he wouldn’t take up the subject again, she finally let go of him.

"Wow" was the only thing he managed to say.

"Let's go home," she whispered in his ear.

* * *

Shikamaru had no strength to concentrate on anything the following day. He was too aware of Temari's presence and couldn't help blushing every time his gaze caught on her. Mainly because all of her touches- even if only when her hand accidentally brushed his - let his blood shoot into other parts of his body. He was completely under her spell.

After getting home yesterday, they hadn't wasted many words on each other. They had hardly slipped off their shoes when they found each other tightly embraced on the sofa and continued kissing. In the end, not much was missing and they would have taken the last step. Only the lack of adequate contraception had held them back and for a moment he hadn't even cared.

Immediately after getting up he made sure that at least this obstacle was out of the way and, a little ashamed, got a few condoms. Temari was surprised that he had got up earlier than her, but after seeing what he had bought, her face got a deep shade of red. Then she had looked at him with a smile so seductive it felt like he'd swallowed hot metal.

The kiss she breathed on his lips hadn't helped. She was driving him crazy in a way that nobody else has done before.

So that he would not be distracted by her closeness all day, he had sat on his porch around noon, despite the snow and cold. Arashi had decided to keep him company and was curled up on his lap. In between he loudly demanded to be petted behind the ears and purred contentedly to himself. He even managed to immerse himself in the book so much that he only raised his head when he heard her footsteps.

"I've made tea. We meet our friends in an hour," she said and stopped next to him.

She had already dressed accordingly and Shikamaru noticed how he had to swallow hard.

Temari wore her dark, long dress with the red belt around her waist. He loved this dress and she knew this.

"Hello, someone with the genius?"

She waved her hand in front of his face. He broke free from his staring, hoping he hadn't started drooling. He felt like she'd put a treat in front of his nose that he wasn't allowed to eat.

Shikamaru let out the breath he had been holding and cursed his damn body and the stupid hormones. While he was at it, he cursed inwardly that they would be going out for dinner, if he actually preferred to drag her into the bedroom and strip that damned dress off her body.

He cleared his throat.

"Thanks, Tem. I'll be right there. I just need to change."

She turned to go. Temari had almost disappeared back into his apartment when she turned around again.

"Maybe you should wear pants that don't fit that tight."

She winked at him and left him with a bright red head.

He didn't have to look down to see what she meant.

* * *

The mood when eating with her friends was lively. They had been sitting in the restaurant for almost three hours and, except for Choji, had, of course, finished their meal. Karui just told about how it had been to train under Killer Bee and how often she had ended up in the hospital just because she had underestimated his strength.

Temari let the conversation shower her and tried not to look too conspicuously in Shikamaru's direction. Just like him today, she had heard the sparks between them. The fire that had burned between them for months and was held back only by reason. That tingle that made her forgot to breathe and think of all the things she wanted to do with Shikamaru when they were alone.

"And how did you get on with Choji's parents?" Ino asked and emptied her glass of water.

"They are so incredibly nice people," said Karui. "I have seldom meet such a welcoming family. And Choza can cook damn well."

"Did he make his famous curry? I can never get enough of that," raved Ino.

"Ino hardly eats anything," noted Shikamaru. "But as soon as Choza made curry, Ino stood at the Akimichi's front door and asked to eat with them."

Choji and Shikamaru both started laughing when Ino's face turned red with shame.

Temari noticed how Shikamaru brushed her foot under the table. On purpose as she saw when he briefly glanced at her.

_We need to go home._

Karui seemed to have noticed how they exchanged looks because she grinned at Temari.

"But maybe we should pay," said Karui casually. "Even Choji has eaten enough."

That was true because he was putting the last bowl of rice aside and rubbing his stomach.

"We haven't ordered dessert yet," he complained immediately.

"I wouldn't mind a dessert," Sai said. "There's a shop near here with delicious ice creams."

Temari tried not to roll her eyes.

She had completely different ideas for a dessert. One that had nothing to do with ice. And each and every one of them included, her, Shikamaru, and his bed.

"I'm completely full," she commented. "And pretty tired too."

"You still need to rest from your cold, Tem", Shikamaru came to help her.

His foot brushed hers again. This time a bit higher. He got damn brave as soon as he wanted something. She liked that.

Eventually they agreed that Shikamaru and Temari should call it a night while the rest of them looked for dessert. Temari tried not to blush when Karui wished them a lot of fun.

Shikamaru dragged her almost all the way back into the apartment. As soon as he got there, he let her take off her cloak and shoes. Then he kissed her so hard and fiercly that she couldn't get his intentions wrong anymore.

Still kissing, they stumbled into the bedroom. Only then did they let go of each other. He looked deep into her eyes.

She could see so much need for her there. A sparkle that he had in his eyes all day.

Again he leaned forward and kissed her. This time gently and without hectic, but thoroughly. Her knees went weak, but he caught her, hugged her.

"I want you, Temari," he said in her ear.

She felt his breath as he used his teeth to bite her there.

She should be damned.

Her whole body screamed for him; to be touched by him. Overwhelmed by her own courage, she pulled away from him and turned her back on him.

Even if they only had this one night together, she would give him everything she had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who expected this? ^^
> 
> And I have an announcement. Since I'm almost done with translating (only four chapters left), I'll upload the chapters now in a faster pace. Every 3 to 4 days comes a new chapter. :)


	22. Missing

Temari had her back to him. The moon shone in and enveloped them both in that silver, dim light.

He couldn't see what she was thinking and that made him incredibly nervous.

Was he too brash? Should he have done it differently?

Then he heard her opening the belt on her dress. He watched her first brush it off her shoulders. Then her hands went to the bra. At the end she slipped out of the panties.

He swallowed hard as he now had a clear view of the contour of her well-shaped back and her wonderfully round bottom. On the nights in which he had imagined this exact moment, he had never been so completely stunned. He was so overwhelmed by the sight.

"Could you please say something?" she said in a shaky voice.

"You are beautiful," he whispered, bridging the distance between them.

He reached out a finger and caressed her shoulder. She got goosebumps immediately.

He carefully grabbed her waist with his hands and pulled her a little closer. His lips found her neck on their own. Where neck and shoulder met, he gave a gentle kiss.

She leaned against him. He had noticed how tense she was. Apparently she felt more comfortable under his touch.

"You could have come up with something more creative," she said with a smile.

Shikamaru raised one of her arms and ran his lips along it. When he got to her fingers, he continued to hold the hand and squeezed it gently.

"I only said the first thing that crossed my mind." He deliberately looked into her eyes. "Nothing has to happen today. You decide how far we go."

She smiled at him. "You're not suddenly scared, are you?"

"No," he said firmly. "I've never been so sure of a thing."

Temari leaned over and kissed him on the lips. She withdrew her hand from him and grabbed his shirt.

"I would say we make sure you get rid of your clothes first."

It was very different from what she'd ever imagined.

In theory, she knew what the male body looked like; there wasn't much of Shikamaru in particular that she hadn't seen yet. It was also inevitable on missions that one caught a glimpse here and there, but to feel skin on skin was a dimension that she had not even been able to imagine in her dreams.

Shikamaru's hands were everywhere and where they weren't, he covered her with kisses.

She herself stroked his arms in admiration, which always held her when she needed protection. Wandered over his back, which carried so much responsibiltes. Up to his chest, which she leaned against to relax.

He had a smile on his face the whole time.

Her stomach did somersaults and everything tingled. She felt so safe and protected. Completely detached from all your worries. There was only her and Shikamaru here.

She brushed the now loose hair from his face and lingered with her hand on his cheek. A question stood in his face. She put a finger to his lips.

"Don't ask questions, Shikamaru."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her arm over her head. Their fingers interlocked.

"I just wanted to tell you how much I'm enjoying this, Temari," he said and kissed her.

His mouth travelled briefly down her neck. She had trouble concentrating on what he was saying.

"But if you want to back down, now is the best time."

Instead of an answer, she pulled him closer to her.

* * *

They lay tightly embraced, covered only by a sheet, both exhausted and happy.

Shikamaru kept stroking her hair and looking at her face. He was really tired, but so rarely did he get the chance to look at her like that with her consent. She smiled to herself, her eyes closed and that was the only reason why he felt like on top of the world.

To know that together they'd made such a big step in their relationship. That she trusted him. Shikamaru didn't want to let this moment pass. He thought he was dreaming.

"If you keep stroking my hair like that, tomorrow I'll look like I've got a bird's nest on my head."

"I like bird nests," he said in a hoarse voice.

She pinched his side, which made him twitch briefly.

"Then you will hear me swearing in the bathroom and tell me what a troublesome woman I am."

Temari couldn't quite hide the teasing tone. He sighed, which made her laugh, but then she grimaced in pain.

"Is everything okay?" He wanted to get up, but she held him tight.

Her hair really looked like a bird's nest. He would definitely not tell her that, otherwise she would jump up and ran into the bathroom, but he wanted to stay here with her and hold her in his arms. But he enjoyed the rest of the view even more. She pulled the sheet a little higher, a mischievous grin on her face.

"I'm just a little sore and it pinches."

He noticed how his face got warm. It was basically his fault. Shikamaru didn't know if he could have stopped either.

"I am -"

"Don't you dare apologize," she said, sitting up. "It was wonderful, Shikamaru. Just the way it was."

"For real?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Would you like to hear hymns of praise now?" Now it was his turn to laugh.

"No, Tem. I want you to feel good and happy," he kissed her. "I love the way you smile." He kissed her again. "I liked it too."

She lay down and snuggled against his chest.

"Good," she said in a clearly slurred voice.

He noticed how she was slowly getting heavier. A sure sign that she was falling asleep.

"Temari?" She stopped responding.

"I love you Temari," he whispered into her hair.

Instead of an answer, she pressed closer to him and with a deep breath she fell asleep.

The next morning she was gone.

* * *

She did not know when she had last left in this hurry towards Suna.

As soon as she was sure that Shikamaru was sound asleep, she had packed all her things. At first she just wanted to go. Without giving him a few words of explanation.

Finally she scribbled something else on a scroll, laid it on her side of the bed and then it was gone as quietly as a shadow. She allowed herself one last look at the man she loved. She was a coward because she just left. But she couldn't look him in the eye. Not after that wonderful night they'd spent together.

_I love you,Temari._

She was able to pull herself together until the forests of the Land of Fire slowly thinned, then she sank down in the shade of a tree and wept. She tried to stop the uncontrolled trembling that quickly got the upper hand.

Temari knew why her heart was crying.

She would have loved to return his words. They had been on her tongue for months, but she couldn't spill them. Not because she didn't want to or was unable, but because all of Suna's happiness depended on her. If she had allowed herself to soften, she could not have done her job.

She would marry the daimyo's son and thus guarantee Suna prosperity.

* * *

He dreamed of hands gently stroking his loose hair. With relish he turned on his side and reached under his pillow with his hand. He didn't want to get up yet. Lying in bed all day seemed a lot more tempting to him.

When something tickled his face, he carefully reached for it with his hand. A hiss and sharp claws brought him back to reality.

Shikamaru lifted his upper body in a flash and just saw the cat disappear through the open patio door. His cheek burned where the claws hit him. Later he would catch the stupid bastard and ask Temari if she was kidding about leaving his door open. Even if he had agreed to the cat, there were some firm rules that he had established. This also meant that the cat wasn't allowed in the bedroom.

Only then did he wonder where Temari was anyway.

Here his mind kicked in immediately. She had probably gone to the Hokage Tower to work. She had always been someone who liked to get up early. The heat in Suna left her no choice but to get up before dawn. She didn't let her commitments slip like he did.

Since he had only had a few days off himself, he had to slowly to get ready.

Temari's scroll was meanwhile forgotten under the bed.

* * *

"A room please."

She put the money on the counter. No matter what the room cost, she would take it. It had taken forever to find accommodation outside of the usual ways. She was sure that Shikamaru had already rushed after her, which is why she wanted to gain as much distance as possible.

The innkeeper looked at her sceptically. Temari also knew that her red, weeping, puffy eyes looked pathetic.

She saw the man's mouth twitch, obviously a question on the lips. A short raising of the eyebrows on her part was enough for him to swallow them again.

"How long do you want to stay?"

"I'm leaving on tonight."

"Shinobi Matters?"

"Confidential," she managed in monosyllables.

He finally gave her the key and didn't ask more questions.

Temari wanted to try to sleep for a few hours. Only briefly. She had to reach Suna.

* * *

When he got into his office he was greeted by a yawning emptiness. Temari wasn't sitting at one of the desks as expected. He scratched his head.

_Did he miss something at home?_

It was untypical for Temari to disappear without a word, but maybe she wanted to think.

Yesterday had been an emotional day for both of them.

Memories of last night came to mind. How beautiful she looked. That little smile in the corner of her mouth. How good her bare skin had felt.

He couldn't quite hide that he was disappointed that she had disappeared, but until just now he had thought she had good reasons for it.

_Did she have to go back to Suna unexpectedly?_

First he would ask Kakashi if he had any information from Suna. Then he would go to the south gate of Konoha and check the list of arrivals and departures. An uneasy feeling spread through him.

* * *

Temari woke up abruptly when a loud bang from outside woke her. She got up, still not quite in control of her senses, and pushed the curtain on the window aside. The sun was already low. It was time to move on. She didn't feel recovered, especially because her head kept confronting her with images. Last night was far too present.

_I love you, Temari._

She swallowed the tears. She put the pain to all the wounds her soul had already experienced. She was Temari from Suna. Her name taught fear to all. Only she could summon up storms with her fan and turn entire forests into kindling. She could live without love. After all, she had done that for most of her life.

* * *

Once again there was a lot of activity in the Hokage Tower. The turn of the year was always associated with a lot of preparations. Contracts were running out, the New Year's celebration had to be prepared, most of the Shinobi were on vacation and so the workload was distributed on the few shoulders that were still there. Shikamaru was one of the unfortunate people who couldn't just withdraw from work.

When his last visitor had just said goodbye to the Hokage, Shikamaru took his chance and slipped into Kakashi's office.

“Hoi, Shikamaru. What brings you here?"

"Good morning, Kakashi," he greeted the Hokage. "I wanted to ask if Temari was ordered back to Suna, since I haven't seen her this morning."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and looked at Shizune, who was standing next to him.

"We haven't received any messages from Suna," she said. 

"Did you have a fight?" Kakashi asked straight out.

"No," Shikamaru replied firmly. "She actually wanted to work out the new contracts for the trade routes with us today."

He was sure Kakashi's face screwed up with concern. If the diplomat from another village in Konoha was lost, he certainly didn't want to be blamed for it.

“You can pick up the lists at the gate. Maybe Kotetsu and Izumo can help you. If you notice anything unusual, let me know, Shikamaru. "

He nodded and left the office. Now he was getting really nervous.

* * *

It took three days to travel to Suna when you had to be quick. She was half a day ahead. With luck, even a whole day. Therefore, she had only stopped briefly to fill her water bottles and to get provisions before she continued hopping through the forests of the fire kingdom. As soon as she reached the desert, she could slow her pace.

Her lungs burned as she continued to hop through the trees. She was already exhausted to the point of tension and noticed how her legs were trembling. A hell of a lot had happened in the past few days. Her illness still had an effect, plus all the emotions that she tried so hard to suppress. Eventually she slipped on a branch and took that as a warning to go one step further.

She only had a certain stamina and even more chakra reserves. She tossed her fan away carelessly and, trembling, took out her food. Temari knew she had overdone it. Again and again she saw his face. How he bent over her, so much love in his eyes.

_Stop it, Temari. You mustn't think about him, or you'll turn around immediately._

She quickly took another sip of water to wash off the last of her food. She could be in the desert by nightfall. There she would take a break.

* * *

Kotetsu handed him the list with a grin on his face.

"Tell me, Shikamaru. Did you fight with your girlfriend? She came over here tonight, pretty weeping, and left the village."

Shikamaru immediately flipped through the list and looked at the shinobi with a questioning eyebrow.

"When was this?"

"Oh, oh. He broke her heart," remarked Izumo. "If the Kazekage finds out, Konoha will soon be gone."

"Don't tell nonsense, Izumo. Naruto will take care of it."

"Can any of you now answer my question?"

He usually didn't mind jokes at his expense, but if Temari had really left Konoha with a tearful face, he had to know when that was. He could still worry about why.

"Around one o'clock in the morning," said Izumo, studying his face.

"I'll send a replacement for you in a moment."

He left the two men puzzled.

* * *

She was asleep and suddenly woke up when a woodpecker started to work on the tree above her. She gasped, completely confused about where she was. The sight of the trees brought her back to the here and now.

_Konoha. The Land of Fire. Shikamaru._

She started shaking again. She was at the end of her nerves.

Shikamaru had softened her. All those years of hard training were ruined because she opened her heart to him.

She had built a wall and only those who had the key were allowed to enter. In the past, only Baki, Gaara and Kankuro had unlimited access to her fortress. Then Shikamaru could come to visit when asked. Until he too lived permanently in her heart. Along with him, other people came along.

_Ino. Choji. Mirai. Kurenai. Yoshino._

She would even miss Kiba who always talked to his stupid dog. She clenched her hand into a fist and hit the floor next to her several times.

_No, you made that decision. So live with it now._

* * *

Instead of delivering the list directly to Kakashi, he had made a detour to his apartment. He must have missed something this morning.

His gut instinct drove him crazy. Something was absolutely wrong. After he really looked at every room, Shikamaru was sure that everything Temari had ever left at his place was gone.

Neither her fan nor the clothes that had ended up in his closet could be found. Her books, scrolls, weapons, a pair of spare shoes. None of it was found again. He even went as far as rummaging through the dirty laundry. Even there was no trace of her. As if she had never been there.

_Ok, don't freak out. What reasons might Temari have to just leave?_

He sat on his bed and tried to calm down. They had slept together. He had checked with her several times that it was okay. He clearly communicated they could stop at any time. But she had not stopped him, but participated.

After that they had joked with each other. It had all felt so incredible and like a dream. So intense.

Even now he thought he smelled her scent, tasted her, heard her making these little noises as his hands brushed her body. His fingers could still trace every single contour in his mind.

Maybe she wasn't ready after all? His foot suddenly hit something that was under his bed. He leaned forward enough to take hold of the object. It turned out to be a scroll. His name was on it and it was clearly Temari's handwriting.

Surely he would get his answers.

_Shikamaru,_

_I can not do this. I can't be with you I can't give you what you want._

_My decision is final._

_Please don't follow me._

_\- Temari_

He had to read the few lines several times before he realized that Temari had just broken up with him. Without explanation, without conversation, without giving him another chance to find out what exactly she meant.

_Did she notice that she didn't love him?_

After all, she had never returned his confession of love. But only a few days ago they had talked about exactly how they imagined their future together.

_Had she only agreed because she knew he wanted to hear that?_

Shikamaru didn't know if to be angry. At least he was hurt.

_Or had she decided against him in order to marry Kana? Did she suddenly want to turn her back on life as Kunoichi?_

He would only find out if he followed her. As it was getting close to noon, he had to hurry.

She was half a day ahead of him. He needed Sai to get ahead faster.

He slowly rolled up the piece of paper and put it back on the bed.

He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes that had come out without his notice.

Yesterday he had felt as if his life was finally reaching the point he had always dreamed of.

Instead, he now had to realise that Temari had lied to him.

And he had to find out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is such a mean move by Temari. That she just takes the coward way and leaves Shikamaru without a word. But she struggled until the last second. She even struggles while she gets further away from him.
> 
> Let's see what happens in the next chapter.


	23. Heartache

"Temari, stop! TEMARI!"

He found her. That damn idiot had followed her even though she had written that her decision was final. That was exactly what she had feared.

"Please stop, Temari."

She heard the urgency in his voice. So she stopped. There was no way she would turn around.

"What do you want, Shikamaru?" Inwardly, she was terrified of the cold in her voice. But she had to make a clear cut. He should forget her, not look back and go on with his life.

She knew exactly how much she hurt him, after all she felt the same pain. She couldn't breathe thinking about not seeing him again; to remove him completely from her life. She had to be strong now.

"Why do you disappear in the middle of the night without a word? Why don't I at least get a decent conversation? If you don't love me, don't you think you could at least talk to me? Don't you think I deserve it?"

She hadn't wanted to ask herself exactly these questions. Shikamaru could get her to reconsider her decisions. He would make her sway. That's exactly what she didn't want. She had to drive him away with all her might; turning his love into the opposite.

"I thought I made that clear."

She felt his hand on her shoulder. Her whole body screamed to lean against him, to feel his closeness one last time and to kiss him.

"Why don't you turn around, Tem?"

She took a deep breath and straightend her shoulders. Then she turned around. His eyes were wet and red with tears. She hadn't imagined it that way.

"I turned around. So what else do you want."

"Give me a reason. Just one and I'll go."

"I do not love you."

She saw how he winced briefly. "You shouldn't tell me lies."

She laughed bitterly.

"How do you know if I'm lying?"

"Your voice is shaking."

"Because I'm angry. You don't respect my decision. Instead, you follow me to the Land of Wind and even drag other people into it."

With some distance, Sai waited for Shikamaru to return. Otherwise he could never have caught up with her, if not with the help of birds drawn in ink.

"Now let's assume you really don't love me. Why can't you just explain that to me?"

"Because then you would have tried to talk me out of everything."

He frowned. "I would certainly not have persuaded you to stay by my side if you don't love me. Who do you think I am? Do I get a real reason or should I continue guessing?"

Of course she couldn't just get rid of him like that. He wanted a reason and without it he would pursue her to Suna if necessary. She definitely had to prevent that.

"I don't want a future with you. Neither marry nor have children. I don't want to live in Konoha and fulfil the duties of your clan, I just want to continue my life as before. So let me go, Shikamaru."

Suddenly he leaned forward and kissed her hard. She was about to return that kiss, but then she pushed him away and reached out with her hand.

"Don't touch me. Don't kiss me. Why should I be with a wimp like you? You couldn't protect me from Morio!"

When she said the words, she wanted to take them back immediately. She had never blamed him for that before. Everyone had underestimated the means Morio would use. Shikamaru had done his best to prevent a crisis between the villages. He had helped her find her way out of this hole. However, he seemed to believe her immediately.

"So is that what it's about?" His voice broke. "You think I can't protect you?"

Temari knew she was crossing a line. She knew that her next words weren't fair and would only hurt Shikamaru more, but she wanted to keep him from following her. He should let go of her and if he had to hate her for it, then it was the only way she could go.

"You can kiss me or sleep with me as often as you like, it doesn't change the fact that I was alone. You didn't make sure in time that Morio wasn't part of the Shinobi Alliance any more. He almost raped me!"

Now she saw a few tears running down his face. "Temari, I love you. I blame myself the most."

"Stop crying dammit!"

He wiped his sleeve over his face. "Go then," he said in a thick voice.

She didn’t hesitate to answer, but turned around. He shouldn't see her tears. Then she just went straight out. Straight towards Suna.

When she was home she could break down.

He waited until she was out of earshot and sight. Then he sank to the ground and put his hands in the sand. The grains of sand were pointed and cut open his fingers, but feeling that pain distracted him from the pain inside.

He still had to make it back to Konoha.

Crying like a little boy in front of Sai now was too much. He had cried in front of Temari.

How could he have believed that Morio wasn't still on her mind? It had been months since he attacked her, but she couldn't forget any more than he could. He hadn't been able to protect her from that bastard. Even if she could take care of herself, she wanted to feel safe. That security had been robbed from her and of course she was right to blame him.

Sai waited patiently until he went back to him. He didn't comment on his tearful eyes or say anything about Temari just leaving.

"Not a word to anyone, Sai. I don't ask much of you, but do me this favour."

He nodded to his relief.

* * *

She was glad that no one was waiting for her at home.

No sooner had she put down her things, then she threw herself on her bed and curled up, her arms tightly wrapped around her upper body and crying. She clenched her teeth tightly and suppressed the screams that wanted out. Her heart ached so much and contracted painfully.

As soon as she closed her eyelids, she saw his face, his gentle smile, those good-natured and intelligent eyes, the elegantly curved eyebrows.

The longing ran through her body in deep, painful waves. Everything in her screamed for him. She wanted to be held by him, to feel the kisses on her skin, to stroke his loose hair.

But there was no other way. She couldn't put her own luck above anyone else's.

Tomorrow she would inform Gaara and Kankuro that she would marry Kana. Although she did not yet know how to do this without telling about their breakup, she was counting on Gaara to protect her from Kankuro's curiosity.

* * *

"Shikamaru?" He looked at Kakashi who had obviously asked him something. He couldn't sleep a wink the whole night after he and Sai arrived in Konoha around midnight; he felt accordingly.

"Shizune, would you just leave us alone and make some tea?"

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

"Sit down, Shikamaru." He acted automatically. He didn't care about anything today, because Temari was gone and it hurt like ice-cold needles in his heart. "What happened?"

Kakashi gave him a piercing look.

"I just slept badly."

Now Kakashi folded his arms. "You are always reliable and cautious. In my opinion, you often work too much. You were here even when you were supposed to be in bed with the flu." He leaned forward now. "Everything that is discussed here remains in these four walls. So tell me how I can help you."

Shikamaru closed his eyes and sighed loudly. "Do you remember the day I asked you to call up the elders from Konoha?"

"Yes."

"These papers are no longer necessary." Shikamaru opened his eyes and he thought he saw not only sympathy but pity in Kakashi's eyes. He didn't want that. Those pitying looks, the talk and certainly no comforting words. Actually he just wanted to tear his heart out so as not to have to feel it any more.

"Is it final?"

"As final as it can be", Shikamaru replied and noticed how his voice failed him.

He couldn't hold back the tears now. Saying it had made him lose all control.

As embarrassing as it was to cry in the Hokage's office, he didn't care. Kakashi must have got up at some point because he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Even if it feels like it, it's not the end of the world."

* * *

She had been able to hide in her room long enough until Kankuro had stood at her door and threatened to break it open. Since Temari knew that he was carrying out such a threat, she had pulled herself up from the bed and tore it open.

"Oh, Kami. What happened Tem?"

All her plans not to say anything to her brothers collapsed. Kankuro held her tight as she threw herself into his arms. He kept stroking her hair and muttering comforting words. Eventually she gained control again and no longer soaked Kankuro's shirt with the flood of her tears.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head. She wanted Shikamaru, but that was beyond all possibilities. "We can just get drunk if you prefer."

The corners of her mouth twitched briefly. Ordinarily, that would have been her remedy of choice. Only the alcohol also made her talkative. Something she didn't need now.

"Can we watch a movie? You, Gaara and I and just talk? We haven't done that in a long time."

"Of course. I'll let Gaara know."

She needed assurance that at least her brothers would be there for her when the rest of her life was going completely out of joint.

* * *

He didn't know how many days had passed since Temari rejected him and pushed him back. The new year had come and he had never felt so completely destroyed. Had he been alone, he would have just spent the forced leave Kakashi ordered in bed.

However, his fluffy black and white room-mate saw it completely differently. He forced him into a routine that could not be contradicted. In the morning, Arashi demanded his food in a loud voice. In the afternoon he wanted to chase mice outside in the garden before he asked for pats and his second meal after a nap.

Shikamaru clung to this piece of normality like a drowning man. Knowing the little warm weight on his lap, accompanied by a low purr, gave him a little peace. In order not to be overwhelmed by the silence, he ran a film on television.

As the moving images danced across the surface, it occurred to him that Temari would surely enjoy the film. It was about a vengeful shinobi whose brother had been killed. The amount of blood and swear words would have made Temari's eyes glow.

It wasn't the first time he thought of her today, but it didn't hit him every time with this immediate force in his guts. He had tried to be mad at her, to hate her, but he couldn't. He missed her, wanted her back. Shikamaru knew how absolutely irrational he was, but he couldn't help it because he just loved her too much. Even closing his eyes didn't help, because then he saw hers again. The cold, angry eyes with which she had ended their relationship. He had tortured himself by playing those last minutes over and over again.

He had come to two conclusions: First, Temari had lied to him. Second, part of her really resented him for not being able to protect her from Morio.

He couldn't stop playing this movie repeatedly in his head. Her body language told him more than the words and looks she gave him. She had compulsively suppressed just throwing herself in his arms. The kiss he had forced on her - he had felt she wanted to return it.

Arashi jumped off his lap when the doorbell rang. Since he hadn't been seen for days, it was only a matter of time before Ino would haunt him. So he was surprised to see Choji. He had a large bag of chips with him.

"Hey, Shikamaru. I thought we could spend the day together today. I actually thought you were going to work, but Kakashi said you were home."

Shikamaru didn't feel like talking and just nodded. He didn't want to offend Choji, so he invited him in. The cat pounced on the bag in search of prey. Fortunately, Choji didn't seem to mind that his best friend said nothing, but instead fished out a bag of chips and tossed one to Shikamaru.

At least Choji waited until Shikamaru had eaten some chips before asking the first question. "I'll be honest, Shikamaru. At first I just thought that Kakashi wanted to be nice and therefore gave you off, but now that I see you. What happened?"

Shikamaru put the chips aside. The cat immediately took the chance and jumped onto his lap.

_Do cats feel when their owners are feeling bad?_

"Temari and I are no longer together." Choji widened his eyes.

"Did you argue?"

"No," Shikamaru replied. "She disappeared in the middle of the night. I travelled after her and then she made it very clear to me that we had no future together."

"Man, Shikamaru," Choji said.

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"What about the Shinobi Alliance now? You're going to run into each other."

Shikamaru shrugged. "I've asked Kakashi to send someone else in my place next time. Fortunately, the Chunin exams won't be held in Suna or Konoha this year. We'll see the rest."

Even if he tried to let everything ricochet off, he couldn't prevent the tears from shooting up his eyes when Choji pulled him out of his chair and hugged him. He embraced him tightly.

"I won't say anything to Ino for now," he said. "But Shikamaru, if you need someone to talk to, I'll be there for you."

* * *

Kankuro had held back for about two weeks. He hadn't asked her any questions about why she often had tearful eyes and why the shadows under them grew darker. He also didn't comment when she put the food aside after a few bites. But when she started drinking two days in a row in the afternoon, on the third day he snatched the bottle from her hand.

"You're talking now," he said, putting the bottle out of her reach. She was hiding under a blanket on the sofa. He knew she wouldn't get up. Despite the heat, she was constantly cold. Gradually, everything went to her substance.

"Give me the sake back," she protested.

"No," he replied, giving her a stern look. "I think you can be in a bad mood, cry and have no appetite, but when you start drinking I will intervene."

"But I don't want to talk!"

"Well then, I'll just throw wild guesses into the room." He sat down on the coffee table. "Since there is only one person who brings out the best and the worst in you, it must have something to do with Shikamaru." When she didn't reply, he continued. "Since he didn't show up here and you didn't receive any letters, you probably quarrelled. You probably started the argument," he added.

"We didn't fight."

"You broke up?"

Temari saw Kankuro's eyes almost fall out of his head.

"Yes," replied not Temari, but Gaara, who suddenly stood in the door frame. "I just got the message from the Hokage that the leadership of the Shinobi Alliance will be taken over by Chojuro and Omoi for the next few months. Iwa and Suna have yet to agree, but that is the current plan."

Something inside of her broke. She knew how important the Alliance was to Shikamaru. She didn't want to take that away from him. He had to continue this important work. She couldn't take all of his wishes and dreams away from him, she couldn't take away his work, into which he had put so much heart and soul.

"I will marry Kana. As soon as the wedding is over, Shikamaru can take over the management again. Matsuri will succeed me and can be accompanied by Kankuro for the first time."

"Are you fucking serious, Temari?" Kankuro had clenched his fists. "We fought for months that you would not be forced into a marriage and then you just throw everything into disarray? Is that a bad joke of yours?"

She threw aside the covers and stood up. Kankuro didn't stop her.

"I ask you to arrange everything as Kazekage", she said to Gaara. "Inform the council, set a date. I will bow to Suna's will."

She could still hear Kankuro uttering an angry reply to Gaara before she ran up the stairs to her room.

She didn't want it, like Kankuro and Gaara, but she had no choice.

* * *

He still didn't feel like going out and facing the world, but when Naruto invited him to Ichiraku to discuss the upcoming meeting in the Land of Iron, he couldn't refuse. He had started work again after the first few weeks of his isolation, albeit from home. Kakashi was very accommodating to him and was even willing to give him a mission outside of Konoha if he felt ready. The idea was still in his head when they got to the ramen stand and Naruto ordered them for both of them.

"So what do I have to look out for?" Naruto asked him as soon as he had lowered his chopsticks into the bowl.

"Have you read through the papers I gave you? Everything important is in there."

Naruto sipped his noodles and nodded. "The Chunin exams must be prepared. In addition, the training program for the special forces."

"Exactly", Shikamaru confirmed and listlessly picked up a piece of meat. "If you have any questions, Omoi and Chojuro will help you. They will take over the management for so long."

"I don't understand this, Shikamaru."

He had hoped he wouldn't notice or just accept the fact that he was handing the leadership into other hands. Instead, Naruto suddenly seemed more attentive than usual. Sighing, he put the chopsticks on his bowl.

"I have private reasons."

"Temari and you are no longer together, are you?" Naruto asked softly, sounding as sad as he felt. Instead of answering, he just nodded. "I saw you so upset the last time your father died."

"That's what it feels like, Naruto."

"If you need someone to talk to while I'm away, Sakura-chan and Hinata are both good listeners."

"Thank you."

He was really grateful to know that he had so many people who were there for him when he was not well.

He only knew that his heart would keep crying.

It was finally broken.

* * *

After she had announced that she would marry Kana, Kankuro had not spoken to her again. He did not greet her when he stepped into the kitchen in the morning and took his coffee in silence, which he was now drinking in his room. As soon as she entered the room, he stopped what he was doing and left immediately. In meetings that currently mainly concerned their wedding, he was silent and only communicated by nodding or shaking his head.

He was just mad at her, because with Gaara he could talk normally and even joked with him. She was the problem. It hurt Temari so much that she even turned to her youngest brother, hoping he could help them talk to each other again.

One evening she was sitting alone with Gaara again and they were watching a movie. She had leaned against him and he allowed it, contrary to his other rather poor need for closeness. Usually she would lean against Kankuro, who was only too happy to cuddle with her. That was their thing. They had always been closer.

Which didn't mean she didn't love Gaara at least as much. He just wasn't that needy for physical contact. She loved him with his quirks, and the fact that he jumped over the fence on her behalf helped a little to comfort her about how dire her current situation was.

"Do you think Kankuro can forgive me someday?" She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and tried not to think about how often Shikamaru had done exactly that when he noticed how she was freezing.

"Only if you don't marry Kana," said Gaara and looked at her.

She looked at the kanji on his forehead.

_Love._

"There is nothing to change about this wedding." Her words should make it clear that she didn't want to talk about it. But if she scared Gaara off now, she was all alone.

"Do you still want to enter into a fictitious marriage?" His voice wasn't accusatory, just interested.

“I have to talk to Kana about it. But he will surely agree. "

"You have a lot of trust in Kana." Her brother crossed his arms over his chest. "We can still cancel everything."

"It's better that way," she replied.

"Shikamaru loves you."

"Sometimes love is not enough."

She noticed how she was about to cry again. Instead of penetrating further into her emotional world, Gaara pulled her into his arms. He said nothing, just stroked her hair.

* * *

He had agreed to look after Mirai for the afternoon because Kurenai's babysitter was not available. At first he wanted to shift the responsibility for it on to Ino, but for that he would have had to talk to her and that he had successfully avoided during the last few weeks.

Of course she had asked why Temari had left so suddenly. Here Choji had stood protectively in front of him and told her that she urgently had to return to Suna. Which was basically true. Even if the reason for this was still not clear to Shikamaru.

He had made no attempt to contact Temari. He knew his letters would come back unopened.

Winter was slowly coming into the last trains. Temperatures climbed and the snow melted. Some rays of sun broke through the cloud cover as he was helping Mirai climb the porch. She was now in a phase in which she wanted to do everything herself and Shikamaru was the last who wanted to prevent her.

Arashi had reacted completely differently to the new visitor than Shikamaru was used to. The cat not only let Mirai pull his tail without complaining, but even brushed her hair.

It reminded him painfully of how Arashi had always reacted to Temari. His cat probably had more sympathy for women than for men. He himself was nothing more than his can opener. With women, however, the cat showed its nice side. At the moment Arashi was asleep on the sofa and was not interested in the world around him.

"When is Temari coming?" Mirai asked suddenly.

Shikamaru almost let go of her hand in shock. In all his misery he had completely forgotten that Mirai would also start asking questions at some point. He pulled Mirai up and took her in his arms.

"Temari doesn't come to us any longer," he said, trying not to let it show how much it hurt him to say that.

_Never again. She's probably marrying this bastard of the wind daimyo now._

"Is she mad at you?" He shook his head.

Even if she had been so cold with him, he would never say a bad word about Temari. She wasn't a bad or evil person. Difficult, easy to irritate, complicated, a puzzle, but still kind-hearted and lovable.

"Are you angry with Mari, niisan?"

“No, Mirai. But Temari and I are no longer together. "

"Are you not getting married?"

_Kami, this kid would make him cry._

"Unfortunately not."

Then she touched his face. "Do not Cry. Do not be sad." He hadn't even realized he'd started crying. Mirai wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. “Mirai is here. Maru don't be sad. "

He sobbed loudly and pressed his godchild closer to him.

_Asuma, you have a great kid._

* * *

Kana didn't ask questions while they were in the meeting about all the wedding arrangements. They had a lot of things that needed to be sorted out. When the official engagement party would take place, which guests were invited, which day was best to get married. The menu, the flowers, the clothes ...

Temari didn't care about any of that. She didn't care what day she got married. She no longer had any friends she could invite. Even if anyone came from Konoha, she knew she couldn't look any of them in the eye.

Inviting Karui would have given her the strength of going through all of this, but her friend would certainly try to talk her out of there until the last minute. She had actually expected very angry letters from Ino. She would have even expected that Shikamaru's best friend would show up in Suna and overwhelm her with her jutsu so that she could find out what was going on. But nothing like that had happened.

The changes in the Shinobi Alliance had apparently been implemented tacitly. She would attend another meeting with Matsuri before she finally resigned from this duty. Another farewell. The next stone that would break out of its structure. She was only a few steps away from giving up her old life completely and Temari would never have thought how scared she was of it.

Finally all negotiations were over. Kankuro was the first to storm out of the room. Gaara just shrugged when Temari shot him a questioning look. Her future father-in-law pulled her into a big hug before Kana grabbed her hand and pushed her outside. She let him pull her with him without emotion.

She was amazed how well she was able to encapsulate all of her emotions by now. At least during the day. When she was alone in her bed in the evening, it was different. Then she cried for Shikamaru and what she had lost. Above all, his eyes, twisted with pain, haunted her into her dreams. Usually Gaara was there and comforted her. But there were enough nights when she just lay shivering under her covers, hoping it would all be over soon.

She told herself that she wouldn't have a bad life with Kana. At some point she could be free again.

Kana finally pulled her through a five meter high door with two servants standing in front of it. He shooed them away and the maid who was cleaning the room. Shortly afterwards he pressed her by the shoulders gently on one of the seat cushions and made tea. She endured it. She had gotten really good at enduring.

Only when they both had a steaming cup in front of them, Kana addressed the first words to her: "Temari, I don't know how to address this topic without you exploding, so I simply ask: What happened?"

"We're getting married," she said bluntly. "After all, we were just in a meeting for our wedding." She saw his fingers twitch.

“You know very well that I don't mean that. What about Shikamaru? Why do you agree to this wedding? Wasn't that your biggest nightmare? ”He took a sip of tea. "Do not get me wrong. Not that I'm not happy that you want to be my wife, but I don't want to marry someone who would actually rather be by the side of another man. If we get married we are expected to have children. You will no longer work as a Kunoichi. Your whole life, everything you know no longer exists. "

She had stared stubbornly at the table the whole time, following the grain. Wondering where the wood came from and whether it was maybe from the Land of Fire. She couldn't even look at a stupid table without thinking of him. She was so dumb to think that eventually she would forget him.

"I'm not stupid, Kana." She looked at him. “All of these things are the reason I didn't want to marry you. But there is something that outweighs all of that: The happiness and prosperity of Suna."

"No," he said seriously, pressing his jaw tight. “Your life is paramount. Just you, Temari. Not your brothers, Suna or the Land of Wind. Your own happiness, your future, your dreams. I don't know enough about you Shinobi to know what kind of training you're going through, but even you can be selfish. "

There was nothing she could do about the insane urge to laugh out loud. She laughed so hard that she had to put down her cup and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had trampled down everyone around her; risked everything. And now she was sitting here with her future husband, who did not want to marry her, knowing how unhappy she was with it.

“We Shinobi are dependent on the benevolence of the daimyo, to the goodwill of the elders in the village. My own father made sure that one day I would become the most powerful woman in the Land of Wind by marrying the son of our daimyo. I am free to decide nothing, absolutely nothing. Because I'm the damn Yondaime's daughter and the reigning Kazekage's sister. But I fell in love with a shinobi from Konoha. " There was so much bitterness and contempt in her voice. So much hatred for the system she was born into. “That wasn't part of the plan. Actually, I should have taken the post of Kazekage with my brother as a powerful weapon with a sealed bijuu. But it turned out differently. Being human made me soft. I'm getting my punishment now. "

Kana moved over to her and put a hand on her arm.

"Nobody has the right to stand in your way, Temari." His voice was soft and whispering. Soothing to the hysteria that spread inside her. A relief after all the weeks in which she had been alone with her pain.

“But everyone does. So I gave in. I don't want to fight any more, Kana. I saw that it was useless. "

"So you broke up with Shikamaru?"

“Yes, and it hurts. It hurts so much. ”She pressed the words out. “Because for the first time I knew what it means to really love. To love unconditionally and to be loved too. With all my mistakes and my quirks. "

“Then we'll undo everything, Temari. There is still time. "

“It is not going to work, Kana. The council does not allow me to marry Shikamaru. I will never allow me to move to Konoha. The best is we get married. "

"No."

"How no?" She looked at him confused.

“If we get married because you insist on it, we will get a divorce. And the divorce will be initiated by me. So that the council can't twist it for you. We just have to hold out for a few months. Half a year at most. " Her mouth opened and closed again without words coming out.

"So you want to propose a fake marriage to me?" He nodded. "Do you remember our last conversation when I was so frustrated?"

“Yes, I remember that very vividly. Also of your panic. That really scared me. "

“That day I wanted to propose a marriage of convenience to you, but my brothers questioned the idea. Finally I doubted myself. "

Kana made an amused sound. "Because I can't be trusted?"

"Something like that."

He scratched his chin like he was thinking. His hand on her arm now took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"I am asking you Temari, do you want to enter into a fictitious marriage and then divorce me?"

For the first time in weeks she felt something like hope. Hope that at least all was not lost.

"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, who sobbed because of Mirai comforting Shikamaru?  
> (I did while writing T_T)


	24. A Punch to the Face

Love was a fucking game.

When Shikamaru looked in the mirror in the morning about two months after Temari's sudden departure, he was greeted with pure despair. His eyes were rimmed red from a mixture of too much alcohol, more cigarettes, and not enough sleep. He rubbed his face where the stubble scratched his chin. Showing up in the office like this would have raised more than a question.

Shikamaru had been working almost continuously lately. Fortunately, he was free today. So he went to the nearest bar last night and got drunk there. At some point he was quite tipsy and had continued drinking to bathe in even more self-pity.

 _You look shitty through and through,_ it shot through his head as he looked in the mirror one last time.

Not knowing what to do with his day, he strolled through Konoha with his hands in his pockets. As he was at the level of the flower shop, a fist suddenly hit him on the side of the eye. Had he not been so hungover, he would have avoided it. He could only hold his weight swaying a bit and stopped on his knees on the ground.

While he held his eye, which was already swelling up, he saw his tormentor: Kankuro.

"I warned you, Nara!" he spat out and pulled him off the floor by the collar of his shirt. "Right from the start, I advised you not to play any games."

Shikamaru endured it. If it helped, Kankuro should let off some steam. The next blow was in the stomach. He curled up and spat bile. But it did not stop. Again Kankuro raised his fist and hit him on the chin. Shikamaru tasted iron as a liquid pooled in his mouth. When he spat it out, he wasn't surprised to see blood.

Apparently that wasn't enough for Kankuro.

Shikamaru closed his eyes. If he didn't see the hit coming, maybe it wasn't that bad.

However, his next blow didn't hit. Shikamaru was pulled backwards, a wall of sand built up between him and Kankuro, and the puppeteer seemed frozen in mid-movement.

"Got him, Ino!" Choji called and set Shikamaru down with his enlarged hand on the floor. His former teammates had come to his aid. As well as Gaara, which surprised him even more. 

"Thank you, Choji," Shikamaru croaked.

He now noticed the pain in his face and that he was damn dizzy. Choji continued to hold him up.

Shikamaru heard whispers. He was sure that the people of Konoha were very impressed with the show. He almost laughed at the whole situation being so absurd. Ino released Kankuro from her jutsu while Gaara locked his brother with his sand.

"Damn it, Gaara. Let go of me!" Kankuro raged.

"No, Kankuro." Shikamaru saw the Kazekage turn to Ino. "Is there an opportunity to talk in peace around here, Ino?"

"Of course, Kazekage-sama."

The men followed Ino into the flower shop, making sure that Kankuro and Shikamaru didn't get too close.

Soon they were sitting in the break room of the Yamanaka flower shop, each with a cup of tea. Kankuro continued to look at Shikamaru with clear anger on his face, while Gaara and Choji were waiting for an explanation.

Shikamaru was treated by Ino. She stopped his bleeding and dabbed on an ointment after she had healed everything superficially with chakra.

"You were lucky. Your teeth will be a bit shaky for the next few days, but if you don't eat anything firmer than rice, it'll be fine. I'll get you painkillers later."

"Thank you, Ino."

Kankuro snorted at that.

Shikamaru only saw his best friend clench her fist and hit the table with it. Kankuro was shocked because he obviously hadn't expected this outbreak. Gaara crossed his arms in front of his torso.

"What's wrong with you, that you attack Shikamaru in the middle of the street?"

"Let it go, Ino," Shikamaru said weakly. He was terribly exhausted; of all. He didn't want his wounds to be opened up again. Temari's loss hurt enough as it was.

"I won't let it go. For two months you've been running through the village and looking like someone died. You don't tell anyone the reason. Or much more you don't tell me the reason," she rumbled off. "Obviously the cause is Temari. Not only haven't we seen her since her last visit. No, Kankuro is mad at you and beats you up on the street "

Shikamaru noticed how he got a headache. If only he had stayed home. Then he could bathe in self-pity there in peace. Instead, he had to openly present his emotional world here.

"Temari just said that you broke up," said Gaara. "And since then she's been crying at night."

Shikamaru listened attentively. He had expected everything. That she had now forgotten him, that she was fine. Because she had conveyed to him quite believably that she did not reciprocate his feelings and blamed him for Morio attacking her. That he hadn't protected her. He felt like an absolute idiot.

"Temari broke up with me," Shikamaru elaborated. "She disappeared without an explanation and told me that she doesn't love me and doesn't want a future with me."

He tried to make his voice sound clear, emotionless. He didn't quite succeed.

"Oh Shikamaru,” Ino burst out. She put a sympathetic hand on his arm. "I am so sorry.”

Kankuro seemed to believe him because his eyes widened as if he had some insight. Shikamaru didn't want to hope. He wanted to put an end to this issue.

"Then why did you let me beat you up?"

"That was our deal."

Shikamaru stood up. He swayed, but Choji was at his side immediately.

"I'll go home now if there's nothing more to discuss."

"Wait, Shikamaru," Kankuro asked. "Please listen to me."

"Keep it short."

"Temari has agreed to the council that she will marry Kana. We can still stop that."

"She should do what she thinks right," said Shikamaru coldly. "I wish you a pleasant trip back to Suna. Take me home, Choji."

* * *

Temari came back from their negotiations in the Land of Iron just days after her brothers. She had been surprised to see Naruto there. Matsuri had told her that he was also present at the last meeting as a representative of Konoha, but something in her had hoped to meet Shikamaru.

That he stayed away from the meeting indicated the extent to which she had hurt his feelings. Naruto had been polite but aloof to her when she asked questions about Shikamaru. Actually, it was none of her business. After all, when she broke up with him, she had been quite rigorous. Better she knew as little as possible about Shikamaru.

Nevertheless, a sentence from Naruto was burned deeply into her: _"He misses you.”_  
Yes, she missed him too. Only now she wouldn't be able to undo everything so quickly.

She had chosen the welfare of her village; to put her own happiness aside for this. She would keep all those precious moments with Shikamaru in her heart. Even if she had agreed with Kana to get a divorce again, Shikamaru would not want her afterwards; hate her.

She would cling to the overwhelming memories with Shikamaru if she married a man she did not love, but who guaranteed Suna prosperity. Someone that the elders from Suna would accept. As long as Kankuro and Gaara were not forced to do things against their will, she would forego her own happiness. She was her big sister. It was her duty to do so.

She unlocked the door to the house. She felt like a glass of water. The heat of the desert today was unbearable even for her. When she stepped into the kitchen, she saw a strange sight. Next to Kankuro and Gaara sat another all too familiar figure.

It was Ino Yamanaka.

* * *

The rain was welcomed by Shikamaru. So he was forced to stay inside and no one would get on his nerves that easily. He sat by the open door to his porch and watched the sky cry according to his mood.

He tried unsuccessfully to suppress the memories of Temari. How much she beamed with joy when it rained. Sighing, he buried his face in his hands.

Kankuro's words didn't leave his head. By now he had thought about all the options and knew why Temari had done this to him. Only that it was no use. She had made her decision and he wasn't going to talk to her out of it. It hurt even more to know she'd lied to him. Temari hadn't trusted him enough. He would have understood, could have come up with a plan. Instead, she had just decided over his head that their relationship had no future.

He was just wondering whether he should just get up and go back to bed when the doorbell rang. Shikamaru would have expected everyone at his door.

But not Sasuke Uchiha.

"Shikamaru. May I come in?"

* * *

Temari immediately turned and wanted to leave the kitchen.

"Temari!" She winced when she heard Gaara's authoritarian voice.

He seldom struck that voice, but that deep voice still frightened her today. Against her real intention, she turned around. She had seen correctly. Ino was actually sitting there.

"I don't think you could give me orders."

"I am the Kazekage, Temari. My order is to be understood in the same way."

Temari swallowed. Would he really go that far? Avoiding an official order from the Kazekage could mean that she was jailed. Since Kankuro was there - and he looked at least as grim as Gaara - it would be two to one. She had no choice. So she walked sourly to the next chair and sat down.

"We were in Konoha," Kankuro began straight away. "And met Shikamaru."

Hearing his name hit her hard. Suddenly the longing was there again. All her feelings that she held at bay until they came out at night.

Then she thought of something else: "What did you do to him, Kankuro?"

"Punched him."

She clenched her fist and jumped up. She would have loved to slap Kankuro in the face. He didn't have the right to interfere in their affairs like that. Especially after it was her fault.

"Have you gone mad?" she screamed. "You had no right to."

"I know that now, too," he replied. "Obviously you went crazy and left him without a word. Nobody deserves that, Temari. Especially not someone who told you he loves you."

"And because you like to interfere so much in my life, you decided to drag Ino along and change my mind about everything? Do you know how manipulative you are?"

"Ino is here because I asked her to", Gaara interjected. "We needed her for the medical knowledge."

Temari sat back weak in the chair. She couldn't hold it back any longer. The tears dripped out of her into her lap. She bowed her head to hide her tears. Her hands clasped her upper arms. She heard a chair got moved. Shortly afterwards a hand touched her on the back so gently that she hardly noticed it.

Then Ino said: "What do you think if we two women talk alone? Without curious brothers?"

* * *

Shikamaru couldn't claim that he ever liked Sasuke much. Not after everything he'd done to Konoha. All the pain that Naruto and Sakura had gone through.

However, Shikamaru wasn't stupid enough to stick to his old judgment. In the meantime Sasuke had paid for his deeds and done a lot of good in the shinobi world. He was also still grateful to him for saving Temari.

As it should be, he had invited him into his apartment and served him a cup of tea. While each of them sipped his tea quietly, Shikamaru wondered more and more why Sasuke was looking for him.

"I have information for you. Kakashi told me to pass it on to you directly."

"I'm just the Hokage's advisor," Shikamaru said in surprise. "What is this about?"

"Suna is in danger. A group of Nukenin are targeting the Kazekage's sister. They also seem to be planning to depose Gaara and cause trouble."

Shikamaru gripped his cup tighter. Why was such information leaked to him? Had Kakashi gone mad now? He had made it pretty clear that he didnt want to be involved with Suna any longer. That's why Sasuke's appearance was all the more strange.

"I don't see why I need this information."

"Hn." Sasuke's look clearly said what he thought of Shikamaru's statement. He didn't believe a word he said. But Sasuke was never someone who interfered in the personal concerns of others.

"Thanks for the tea." Sasuke got up and turned to go. "Do you know if Sakura is currently working?"

"No. Ino knows that. It's best to ask in the flower shop."

"Ino is on a mission in Suna." Sasuke rummaged in his cloak. "Here is more information."

He tossed a scroll to Shikamaru and left his apartment. Shikamaru sighed loudly.

Whatever Ino was doing in Suna, it looked like Shikamaru would soon find out.

* * *

They had gone to the tea house.

While Ino sipped her tea, Temari stared into the garden. The last time she was here, she had been upset and angry about Kankuro's behaviour. But then she was still with Shikamaru. Back then, her world was still fine. But now everything was in ruins and she was going to marry Kana.

"I always wondered how the people in Suna manage to live in this heat," Ino remarked and put down her cup. "It must be pretty hard to live in the desert."

Temari had expected everything, but not such a statement from Ino. She had been prepared to answer awkward questions and be questioned. Instead, Ino sat in front of her and didn't seem interested at all in what had happened between her and Shikamaru.

"When you grow up here you get used to it," replied Temari, taking a sip of his own. "The most important thing is to drink enough and not go outside in the middle of the heat."

Ino nodded. "I still remember the Chunin exams in the desert. It was unbearably hot back then and then there were all those giant scorpions."

"You don't really want to talk about such trivial things, do you, Ino?" Temari gave her a stern look. "You actually want to know what I thought of hurting Shikamaru so much. It's not your way of being so reserved."

Ino pressed her lips together. She seemed to be considering. Finally she let out a heavy breath.

"No, I would like to tear your head off. I have seldom seen Shikamaru upset like this. However, I also know that, like him, you do nothing that is not well considered. So I will not question you."

"So you're really only here to offer medical help?" Temari didn't even try to hide her scepticism, even if Ino nodded to her. She hadn't met Ino like that. "Shikamaru didn't ask you to hold back?"

"Shikamaru doesn't know I'm here," she said. "Otherwise he would have tried to stop me from coming here. He cares very much about you. Even it ended between the two of you. I just thought maybe you need a good friend. Someone who listens to you."

Temari quickly took a generous sip of tea so that tears would not immediately come to her.

She hadn't known until Ino's testimony that she was missing something like that. She was able to talk to her brothers about most things and earlier she had discussed the rest with Shikamaru. Now that she had pushed that one person out of her life, something was missing. Not just the security of his embrace, but simply being able to talk about everything. Without having to think about how the other person thought about it. She knew this was her only chance. So she started talking.

* * *

Shikamaru hardly noticed anything while Kakashi discussed the mission in Suna with his friends.

Since Ino was already in Suna, she would join them from there. He didn't want to think about Temari. About how he was ready to go to Suna immediately because she was in danger. He wasn't such a fool to believe that he was doing this as a favour to Suna.

Shikamaru did it because he loved Temari. Despite all the things she'd thrown at him.

_I do not love you._

_I don't want a future with you._

_You couldn't even protect me from Morio!_

It hurt to know how easily he had believed her. How once it was not his mind that had taken command, but his heart. That was now so torn that it only pumped to keep him alive.

That mission would be the end of it. After that, he wouldn't mourn her any more.

He made it up to himself. As soon as he knew she was safe, he could withdraw for good.

At least that's what his mind said.

His heart still wanted her back.


	25. Forever and ever

Her hand was already numb from shaking all the hands, but she didn't care because the alcohol flowed in abundance. Kankuro kept looking in her direction with an expression that alternated between horror, anger and bewilderment. She knew why he was angry. He didn't like this whole event. Ever since she announced she was marrying Kana, he had been cold and hurtful towards her. When she thought of it, the way he usually antagonized Shikamaru, it was a mockery that he reacted the same way now.

She quickly took another sip from her glass. She had always imagined celebrating her own engagement differently.

She was just putting her glass down when Kana sat down next to her again. Of course, he took her hand. Kankuro snorted audibly when her fiancé - she absolutely had to drink more - kissed the back of her hand. She knew there was nothing more to it. Only it would be interpreted to both of their detriment if they did not openly exchange tenderness. She quickly let a mock smile flicker over her lips.

"I saw that you looked pretty lost," said Kana, filling her glass with vodka. As soon as he pulled the bottle aside, she took a long gulp. "The evening is still long. Don't you want to drink a little slower?"

"I want to remember as little as possible," she said, taking another sip.

Kana pulled the glass away and looked at her intensely. "Listen to me, Temari. You and I have to go through this together. Even if we both just pretend to be married, I want to make the time as pleasant as possible for you."

"He doesn't know," she whispered. "Shikamaru doesn't know that I love him."

His eyes went soft. Longing overwhelmed her again.

_Why did he have to have the same brown eyes as Shikamaru?_

"You never told me that."

"Because I'm a coward. Right from the start we could have solved all problems if Shikamaru had married me. But I didn't want him to feel pressured. He should choose me of his own free will. "

Kana pulled her into his arms now, because he had noticed how difficult it was for her to hold back the tears. She clung to him when the first tear fell. To an outsider, her hug could look like a embrace between two lovers.

"How do you know that he wouldn't have made the same decision for you, Temari? You described him as an intelligent, attentive man. Someone who keeps his word. You gave him no chance to decide for you."

"I know," she pressed out. "Why does love have to hurt so much?"

Turning away from the guests, he brushed the tears from her face.

"You have to talk to him, Temari. It's not too late yet."

* * *

Shikamaru had just finished packing his bag when his phone rang. He didn't want to go on that mission and then again he wanted. Sakura had made the difference. She said that even if he didn't do it for Temari, he could do it for Gaara and Kankuro. Unfortunately she was absolutely right. He didn't want them to lose their sister and prevent a crisis in Suna that would surely affect the whole Land of Wind.

Since the phone didn't stop ringing, he picked up the receiver with an annoyed sigh.

Hopefully the person on the other end had good reasons to bother him at this late hour.

"Yes," he grumbled into the receiver.

A man's voice, unknown to him, answered: "Is there Nara Shikamaru?"

"Who wants to know and why?"

"My name is Kana. I suppose you know who I am. I have a request for you."

For Shikamaru it was nothing new to talk to higher-ranking people, but he had expected everything except a call by the son of the wind daiymo, the guy Temari was going to marry, and him asking for a favour.

"If there is any Konohagakure business, I would advise you to call the Hokage."

"No, it's about something private."

"Then I can't help either."

He didn't want to know. Shikamaru was about to just hang up. Before Kana wanted to know Temari's favourite chocolate or whether she liked flowers. But he was definitely no longer the person for that.

"I think that's a shame, but maybe I can change your mind if I tell you that Temari is sitting next to me and wants to talk to you."

With that he got him.

He had been longing to hear from her in the past few weeks. So many times he had woken up with the image of a dream that had only been about her. With a pounding heart and full of physically palpable longing. The opportunity to hear your voice now. He couldn't act rationally. He had to take this chance. Especially because he could warn her that way.

Shikamaru didn't know whose protection she was currently under. Had he had the certainty that it was Kankuro and Gaara, he would have been more comfortable.

"Five minutes," he said. Shikamaru heard the phone being passed on and Kana talking about leaving the room. At first he only heard her breathing.

"Shikamaru?"

"Yes, it's me."

_Temari._

"Kana and I are going to have a fictitious marriage. He suggested it on his own initiative. We'll get divorced after a few months." He gripped the phone tighter. “I thought you should know. No matter how we stand to one another. "

Words lacked him. Why hadn't she told him earlier? He noticed how angry he was. But that wasn't important for now. He could still yell at her. Usually he wasn't the emotional outburst type. But at some point everything reached a limit for him too.

"I have to tell you something too," he said and cleared his throat. "We have information that someone wants to prevent the wedding. You are the target. Gaara has already been informed, but a team from Konoha is going to be sent for support."

Shikamaru heard her swallow. "Thank you." She took a deep breath. "Shikamaru, I -"

Suddenly she screamed. He had never heard her like that before.

"Let go of me," he heard dully from the receiver. She seemed to have dropped the phone.

He could hear her screams.

"Tem? TEMARI!"

_**CLICK.** _

Someone on the other end had hung up.

Shikamaru jumped up. He pressed the redial, but of course no one answered the phone.

He wrote down the number, put on his bag and ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the Hokage Tower.

They were late; much too late.

The worst had already happened.

* * *

She wasn't alone. That was the first thing she noticed. Kana laid next to her on the bed and moaned in pain. Temari didn't know where they were. She expected her joints to be shackled, but she was free.

Her head throbbed. She had been hit on the back of the head with an object. Because that's where it hurt the most and burned. With controlled movements, she sat up. The dizziness got her. She held her head between her knees.

_One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten._

As quickly as the dizziness came, it passed again. It was a hell of a bad idea to get drunk. Otherwise she would have recognized the looming danger earlier.

She turned to Kana. His face was frowned. There was a distinct bump on his forehead. He was awake, but his eyes were pressed together tightly.

"Are you all right?" she asked and moved up to him.

"My head is killing me."

"I'll take a look at this."

There was no blood to be seen. That was good. As soon as she touched his head, however, he gasped.

"Can you open your eyes?"

Kana blinked. With no light illuminating the room except for the moon, it was difficult to tell if his pupils were different sizes.

Every shinobi received basic training to recognize medical emergencies and treat minor wounds. She had also often sewn herself cuts on various missions until she had a doctor within reach. Identifying concussions wasn't difficult either.

"Are you sick?"

"Yes."

"Take my hands and squeeze as hard as you can."

Fortunately, he didn't ask why she was doing such a dance with him. He squeezed evenly with both hands.

"Very good."

"Did I pass the test?"

"For now, yes. I suspect you have a slight concussion. I'm not a doctor, but it would be good if you lay down."

Then he laughed out loud. Temari, who couldn't find much fun at the situation they were in, was on the verge of reprimanding him for it, but maybe it was better to laugh than cry.

Shikamaru had warned her, but apparently it was too late. She was sure he had immediately called for help. Kankuro would possibly be pissed. 

"I don't know what's funny about that," she said disgruntled and moved away from him.

He reached for her.

"I laugh at this absurd situation, Temari. I am the son of the mightiest man in the Land of Wind. No one has ever harmed me. And when I am on my way to marry a kunoichi, I am knocked unconscious and kidnapped. Instead I protect my future wife I lay here and moan about pain. "

If he portrayed it like that, it was really absurd. She gave him a smile.

"There is finally that beautiful smile that I like so much."

_I love the way you smile._

* * *

Kankuro met them in the middle of the sandstorm with eyes full of anger. Shikamaru had never seen him like this before. Never shaking with fury like this. Naruto stood next to Shikamaru.

"Kankuro scares me."

So Naruto had to perceive this aura too. Sasuke, Sakura and Choji caught up with them. Sai, Kiba with Akamaru and Hinata followed immediately behind.

"You just want to stand there, you lazy Konoha brats? We have no time to waste, so move your asses," he barked at them.

Sasuke made an audible "Ts" and he was sure to hear the cracking of knuckles; probably from Sakura.

"They have only just arrived, Kankuro," said Gaara's soft voice. "Let them rest first."

The Kazekage came running towards the group, while Kankuro stood with folded arms and clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru."

* * *

She and Kana were held in suspense for almost four days. Temari had meanwhile examined the room thoroughly more than once. She would also have tried to escape if her head wound hadn't made her absolutely dazed.

She also suspected that something had been added to her food that disrupted her chakra network, because she was not at her full strength. If Kana hadn't been locked up with her, she wouldn't have had any qualms about fighting her way out. As it was, however, she waited for the things that might come.

The room was furnished quite comfortably for being held captive. They had a generous bed, even a proper bathroom. In the morning they even knocked on the door and brought them tea and a hearty breakfast in an anteroom. They also received meals at noon and in the evening. On the first morning they even found painkillers, bandages and ointments. All in all, you could have imagined you were on vacation if it hadn't been for the bars in front of the windows. Whoever was responsible for her abduction wasn't about to kill her.

She just didn't know if that should calm her down.

If you looked outside, you saw nothing but sand and dunes. Even if she had lived in the desert all her life, she did not know where they were. Because sand always looked the same no matter where. It may have had a different colour in some parts of the world, but in the Land of Wind there was almost exclusively the fine yellow, sometimes gold, glittering sand, occasionally accompanied by coarse grains or stones.

While the heat crept in during the day and warmed the room, Temari stood in front of the open, floor-to-ceiling window in the evening and let the wind caress her. Kana usually stood next to her, her hand tightly gripped.

They did not remain idle. Temari showed Kana a few moves in taijutsu so that he could defend himself if necessary. He might not be a shinobi, but he was physically fit and quick to learn. If the worst came to the worst, it would be of use to him, and she trusted that by then someone had finally come to her rescue.

She remembered a childhood story that Yashamaru had read to her back then. It was about a princess who had been locked up by a witch in a high tower without a door. A prince rushed to her aid and let her long hair pull him up. Even if this idea was absolutely absurd, she cheered up the thought of how Shikamaru would comment on it. She knew that he would come to her rescue. She clung to it.

The moon had just risen and she had her back to the door. Kana had laid down again with a headache. She expected a knock for dinner. Instead, this time the door opened and someone with heavy steps entered.

"How are you, Tem?"

* * *

"So we don't know where Temari is or who kidnapped her," said Kiba.

"Right," replied Gaara.

Shikamaru saw how exhaustion was written on his face. He'd probably been searching the whole desert with his eye the last few days despite the sandstorm. Kankuro didn't look any better either, but could hide this well with his face paint. He felt so useless himself.

Temari's screams didn't leave his head. This was the second attack on her in a few months. She must have felt so helpless; once again. And again he was late.

He tried to ignore Ino's worried looks. Her eyes were always on him. Shikamaru knew himself that he was absolutely tense. It was hard to put his feelings aside and think about everything rationally.

"What is your plan, Shikamaru?"

He looked in Kankuro's direction.

"With Kiba, Hinata, Sasuke and Naruto we have the possibility to locate Temari. The plan is to split us into teams of two and a team of three."

He only stumbled briefly at her name. He put his fingers together.

“Ino and Sai will monitor the desert from the air. On the one hand, we can rely on Sai's technique and Ino can take over the view of hawks, vultures and buzzards through her jutsu. She can also inform everyone who is within range. They head south. "

"Sasuke and Sakura form the other team. Through his Sharingan he can perceive chakras and with the Rinnegan it is possible that he changes dimensions. He is the first who can be there. Sakura can support Sasuke through her chakra reserves and also heal possible injuries if necessary. Both begin the search in the west. "

"Kiba and Choji will work together, as both complement each other well through their jutsu. While Kiba and Akamaru can perceive smells, Choji has the opportunity to influence his body size and can look into the distance. So that the trail can be tracked, they start from where Temari and Kana were kidnapped. According to my information, this is in the east of the Land of Wind."

Gaara and Kankuro agreed.

"Ultimately, Naruto, Hinata and I are on the same team. Naruto's skills should be well known. With her Buyakugan, Hinata can also see through the walls of buildings. Since I am in charge of this mission, Ino and I are in constant contact. I can therefore pass on the information directly if necessary. We'll start in the north. "

After he explained his plan, there was silence. As always, he had thought through everything down to the last detail and no one objected. Well almost none.

"Did you forget Gaara and me on purpose?"

Shikamaru wanted to sigh.

Instead, he replied to Kankuro's challenging question: "Do you think it is appropriate to leave Suna without protection? What if that is exactly the plan? Kidnapping Temari is a great excuse to lure out her two brothers, who are responsible for stability and protection. Then they can kill the current Kazekage and the second candidate for the office at the same time. In the meantime Temari is married under duress and installed as the new Kazekage. And, fittingly, a new heir is already on the way. "

He hadn't noticed how loud his voice had become. Naruto looked at him with open mouth and the rest of them seemed shocked too. Ino wanted to put a hand on his arm, but he shook it off. He didn't want to be comforted, he wanted to go. The sandstorm prevented them from finally taking action.

"You think we can't defend ourselves, do you? Besides, Temari would definitely not go along with it."

Now Shikamaru was getting really angry. "Did you ever think of why Temari broke up with me to marry Kana?" He yelled at him. "She did that for Suna. For you. Not for any trivial reason. She would sacrifice anything so that Suna doesn't suffer!"

Fortunately, Choji held him back. Sasuke was also ready to intervene, while Akamaru growled softly due to the tension in the room.

"Enough," said Gaara and got up. "Shikamaru is right, Kankuro. We have to watch out for Suna. The council is not entirely on our side. This could be an attempted coup. We are keeping an eye on Suna."

Kankuro turned his head to one side and snorted. Shikamaru, on the other hand, let out a relieved breath.

"How long does a sandstorm last?" asked Hinata.

"You can't predict that. We hope that it is ocerctomorrow. You should rest and freshen up first. We can exchange more information this evening."

With that they were dismissed.

* * *

She broke out in cold sweat. She hadn't given him a thought since she'd been attacked in the Land of Iron. The dreams that haunted her sometimes were the only time she let him in her head. She had it under control. At least that was what she had believed until his voice gave her whole body goose bumps.

From the bed she heard the springs creak. Kana stood behind her.

"You know him, don't you?"

"Yes," she breathed back.

"Well, well. You always find someone to take care of you."

She didn't want to turn around. As long as she didn't see him, the situation wasn't real. She was just dreaming. Her whole body screamed to run away. But the only escape route was past Morio.

She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes.

_You can do it, Temari. He has no power over you._

"It's okay, Kana," she said, listening to her voice.

No stuttering. That was good.

"Are you sure?"

"He's a shinobi. You don't stand a chance against him anyway."

She turned around. He still wore the same smug smile. Her throat tightened.

_Stop freaking out, Temari._

"You seem to care about this guy, even though you didn't want to marry him. Very interesting. So we shouldn't have bothered so much."

Her hands clenched into fists. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, the contracts that Rasa had negotiated at that time should not actually be used. None of the contracts had been signed by him."

Temari tried to process this information.

Did this mean that everything had been manipulated?

She couldn't think clearly. All of a sudden it all made sense. The Council of Suna had certainly been easy to convince. The wind daimyo was sure enthusiastic too, otherwise you relied on genjutsu. This suspicious letter that Gaara had supposedly signed also fitted into the picture. She was stunned that no one had noticed.

Shikamaru would have noticed if he had ever seen the original documents. She had been such a huge idiot.

"Who is behind all of this?"

"You don't need to care. The most important thing is that you become my wife."

She wished for a kunai to pull it through his face.

* * *

_**"Sasuke has found Temari."** _

Shikamaru was checking out an abandoned ruin with Naruto when Ino's voice popped into his head. The sandstorm had levelled off the night they arrived, so they left the next evening.

Kankuro had made it clear to him once again that they would report immediately if they found Temari. It was now noon on the second day since they had left Sunagakure. He stopped in the middle of the aisle. His fingers twitched nervously.

_**"Thanks, Ino. Tell me where we'll meet."** _

After she had given him the coordinates and he had given instructions to collect the others on Sai's birds, he went to look for Naruto and Hinata, who had run down the corridor at the other end. It would take about a day to get to Sasuke.

Naruto was knocking on a wall when Shikamaru found him.

"Sasuke found Temari." Hinata seemed at least as pleased as Shikamaru. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight.

"Everything will be fine now, Shikamaru-kun."

"I knew Sasuke could be relied upon," said Naruto enthusiastically. "Oh."

Shikamaru was about to ask what Naruto meant, when a portal opened in front of them and Sasuke and Sakura were facing them.

"Come over," said Sakura, who had already dripping sweat from her forehead from exhaustion. She stood next to Sasuke and held his hand so that she could share her chakra. Her whole body was covered with the black marks of her seal. That didn't seem like the first portal jump. Sasuke also looked pretty exhausted.

"Aye, aye, Sakura-chan." Naruto grabbed him and Hinata with Kurama's chakra and pulled them through the portal. 

_I'll be there soon, Temari. Hold on._

* * *

The dress scratched. She didn't know what material it was made of and whether it had ever been washed - because it smelled like old sweat - but one thing was certain, it was supposed to emphasize her curves and this did it well. Every breath strained the material audibly. Morio, of course, liked what he saw. Again and again he complimented her and hung his greedy eyes on her.

She had been separated from Kana and moved to a new, even larger room. She went along voluntarily. If it was possible, she wanted to prevent Kana from being drawn into there any more than he was now. He was just unlucky enough to be there when she was kidnapped.

Well, at least she hoped so. Currently she suspected Morio could do anything . Her whole stomach knotted together and she mechanically brought the spoon with the soup to her mouth.

"How do you like the soup? I think that's your favourite dish, right?"

Throwing the plate in his direction would have been her way of expressing her opinion, but she just nodded.

"You are pretty quiet, love."

She hated such words of caress. Whatever picture Morio had of her, she was not a princess and, above all, was not into pompous words.

_I love you ,Temari._

Shikamaru had always known how to treat her. Even Kana had always shown her respect. But Morio had created an ideal image of her that she could not and would not withstand.

She pushed the empty bowl aside. The servants immediately took the dishes and put the main course on the table for her. The sheen of silver caught her eye. A knife smiled at her. With that she could certainly find a way out.

* * *

After their meeting, Sakura had retired to her tent, exhausted. Atypically, Sasuke had insisted that Sakura have something to eat. Shikamaru had noticed how she smiled when Sasuke handed her the bowl of rice.

He knew that there had always been a rivalry between Ino and Sakura over Sasuke. In his humble opinion, it had always been a losing battle on Ino's side. He could still see how Sasuke had gone mad in the Forest of Death when they attacked Sakura. Even if Sasuke might not have been aware of his bond with Sakura back then, it seemed he was now.

He shook off the thought. Now was not the time to think about his friends' relationships.

Ino sat down next to him and handed him his food. He wasn't hungry, but if he didn't eat anything, Choji would stand next to him and he would not tolerate any objections. He neither tasted what he ate there nor whether it was good. For him, food intake was just a mechanism to maintain his strength during a mission. Since the burden of responsibility was often on his shoulders, hunger and appetite only returned when he had brought everyone back home safely and slept in his bed for one night.

"Shikamaru and I take the first watch", Sasuke announced and got up.

"Choji and Naruto are next. Then Sai and Kiba," Shikamaru added.

Ino protested immediately. "Why am I not assigned. And what about Sakura and Hinata?"

Shikamaru sighed. "First of all, I know that your jutsu is incredibly exhausting for you, especially if you use it for a long time." She knead piece of cloth of her skirt. "And we need you rested, as you are the only one who has healing jutsu besides Sakura. Hinata's skills are just as important so that we can scout out the hiding place."

"Sasuke's space-time jutsu is just as stressful. Don't you think he needs rest too?"

"I'm the team captain, Ino. So you do what I tell you." He didn't feel like discussing, but he saw her flinch when he raised his voice across from her. "I ask you as a friend not to make it so difficult for me."

Without a word, she put down her bowl and went to her tent. Sai shrugged and followed her. He would probably cool her down, even if Shikamaru was eaten by his guilty conscience.

* * *

Back in her room, another surprise awaited her. After tucking the knife safely behind the bathroom mirror, she noticed that there were new clothes on her bed. She looked disgusted at the red two-piece suit that she had usually only seen on the bodies of belly dancers.

She mastered the art of belly dancing. It was part of her training as kunoichi in Suna to know how to slip into various roles. But she had never danced in public, not even in front of Shikamaru. She didn't know whether Morio was expecting a private performance, but just the thought of it disgusted her.

There was also a selection of nightgowns. They were relatively long, but they were all made from a fabric that didn't hide much.

"I see you've already found my presents. Do you like them?"

Of course he had returned. Privacy was a foreign word for this idiot, as was a reasonable distance from people. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Then his hand was on her hip and he pulled her close. She winced.

He made it impossible for her to even think clearly. Morio was so random in his actions and that made him all the more dangerous.

"I don't like the colour," she remarked. "Red doesn't suit me."

"Is that so?"

He now pulled her against his chest. He rested his head on her shoulder. Her disgust for him only increased. But she had to play along. At least as long as she hadn't picked the lock on the door with the knife.

"I would like it better in purple."

"Then you should get that." His lips kissed her cheek. "I'll leave you alone now."

As soon as he left the room, she stormed into the bathroom and vomited.

* * *

They spent the first hour of their watch together in silence. Sasuke had never been a person for big words, but communicated through looks. That's why Shikamaru noticed right from the start how he was being watched suspiciously.

"You are helping the knucklehead to become Hokage?"

"Mmm." Shikamaru threw some more wood into the fire. "He needs someone with an general view by his side. I prefer to work in the background." Shikamaru looked up from the fire. "What about you? Are you staying in Konoha now?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Hn."

That answer told him that it probably depended on several factors. Even though most of them were grateful to Sasuke for saving the world, he still belonged to a cursed clan. A clan that would never be washed completely clean from its guilt. He was also a pardoned nukenin; a traitor to his village. It would be years before Konoha and much longer before the rest of the shinobi world forgave him. Shikamaru felt sorry for him, even if he would never admit to Sasuke. He wanted to help whitewash his reputation for the sake of Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi.

"In any case, thank you for coming along on this mission."

He nodded to him. They sank back into comforting silence. The time had come tomorrow.

They would save Temari.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hands up: Who suspected Morio? Did anyone still remember him?


	26. Rescue?

Picking locks wasn't a problem for a shinobi. Often the access to information required the silent opening of locked doors, chests or cupboards. Even if the general public was of the opinion that most ninja constantly eliminated unpleasant competition and enriched themselves with the money of the people, one of the most important characteristics was to get from one place to another unseen. Picking a door lock wasn't the hardest task either. Closing it again afterwards was the bigger challenge. Otherwise she would normally have used her wind chakra and opened the lock with a little wind. But under no circumstances should Morio notice that she had left the room.

First she had to get an idea of where Kana was and which escape routes were open to them. Temari didn't want to risk implementing an immature plan. Certainly she could fight her way out without proper weapons, even without her fan. All she had to do get to know the size of the property, the number of opponents, and Morio's exact plan.

While waiting for the next meal with a drooling Morio, she tried to guide her chakra through the knife and use it like a chakra blade. It worked just fine if she didn't put too much chakra into it. Keeping her balance was no harder than using her tessen. She would have given anything to have him with her now, but he was lying around useless in Kana's home.

She knew what a real chakra blade felt like. Shikamaru owned a pair from his sensei. He had let her try them out when she was with him once and riveted the next five trees in front of her with one swing. The memory of that day, of course, hurt right where her heart was.

_You mustn't think about him. You come out of here. With or without his help._

* * *

It was much more difficult to hide in the desert than in the forest. Shikamaru was aware of this beforehand and he had prepared himself and his team accordingly. Still, it didn't change the fact that there was nothing they could do during the noon hours except waiting. 

The plan looked simple: with the help of Hinata, they would look at the outline of the building where Temari was held captive and then enter where they were closest to Temari. Kiba and Sai would take care of Kana. While the rest of them set about taking out the shinobi that were placed in and around the building.

Sasuke and Sakura had already gathered as much information as possible so that they could be sure that Temari was really there. It was by chance that they had stumbled upon the whereabouts in the first place. In a small village they had overheard a conversation that had put them on this track.

Shikamaru hoped Temari was unharmed. He had no idea what exactly the plans of her kidnappers were, but if something happened to her, he couldn't stay calm. As hard as he tried to convince himself not to do it for her, he was fully aware that he was doing it because she was important to him; still. Even if she got married to Kana after all of this. 

He was lighting another cigarette and took a few deep drags. The nervousness ate him up. The click of his lighter gave him some peace of mind. Even more when he gave in to the urge to smoke. He knew he was doing his health a disservice.

Kiba and Akamaru had already withdrawn into the interior of the ruin, which served as their shelter, because they couldn't stand the smell. The rest of his team either accepted it or glared at him, as Ino was doing. Although she hadn't forgiven him yet for dealing with her so harshly yesterday.

He put out his cigarette and got up so he could get this misunderstanding out of the way.

* * *

She had let off steam in her room all afternoon and tested how strong she was with her knife. In addition to the wall behind the bed, the mirror and the chest of drawers, a bed sheet also was attacked. She even managed to scratch one of the bars in front of her window. Unfortunately, the effort to cut through the metal rods was too much to provide a meaningful escape plan. Otherwise she would have made a rope out of the sheets and climbed down the building. However, she would never have the strength to get herself and Kana out of here.

She was terribly exhausted and, above all, frustrated. For the last few months she had thought the worst that could happen to her would be to get married against her will. She had thought through all the possibilities more than once. Only now had she noticed how many impossible coincidences there were, that the council was pushing for a marriage, and how the incident at the Chunin exams should prevent Shikamaru and her from being together. Morio had given her the final clue.

She felt so infinitely stupid to have fallen for something so obvious. Temari had just blindly believed that Rasa wanted to use her as pledge for political purposes. So her father wasn't as ruthless as they'd always thought; not only she, but Gaara, Kankuro and Baki had checked the contract several times as well. Nobody had noticed that the signature was forged.

Frustrated, she let out air between her pressed lips. It was time for her to get ready. Another meal with Morio was about to begin.

* * *

"Can we talk, Ino?"

He had waited until Sai was no longer around so that he could talk to her in peace. Sai had an incredible protective instinct towards Ino, which he had already felt once before.

"So now you want to talk, Captain Shikamaru? After dodging me for the past few months and everyone knew about your breakup, except me?"

_So that's why she's so angry._

"I thought that you just need time and will talk at some point. But nothing happened. You talked to Choji, Naruto and even Sai about it!" She stamped her foot angrily. "Am I not worth enough to you as a friend? I didn't ask that you reveal your soul to me. I just want you to be happy. Instead, you avoided me."

Now tears glittered in her eyes and Shikamaru felt really bad. He just pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Ino. Please believe me." She sniffed now and put her head on his shoulder. "I just felt so miserable. How could I have faced you when you had everything I dreamed of for Temari and me? It hurt to see you happy."

"Oh, Shika." She pulled away from him and looked at him with sad eyes. "We'll save Temari. And then we'll see what happens next, okay?"

He nodded because he was out of words.

* * *

Just in time she had removed the traces of her destruction when Morio was already standing in front of her door and his gaze once again caught on her bosom. Temari resisted the urge to just punch him, but followed him into the salon with two very expansive sitting areas, as Temari knew from the estate of the wind daimyo.

Even if the heat outside was certainly unbearable, she froze in her clothes. Morio had insisted that she wear one of the belly dancer costumes, and Temari intended to use that to her advantage. She knew how easy Morio was to manipulate and that really sickened her.

But she had to get out of here at all costs. So she had to resort to feminine wiles once more. After all, she was an excellent kunoichi and situations like this were all too familiar to her. It was easy to charm men so that she could get information. Especially with men like Morio.

She smiled at him and immediately noticed how it didn’t fail to affect him. It would be a pleasure for her to get back at him. She just needed patience.

* * *

They landed silently with Sai's birds in front of the villa where Temari and Kana were. Hinata had scanned the building from the air, while Ino gave them all access from Hinata's point of view through her jutsu.

Shikamaru gasped briefly when he not only perceived Temari's chakra, but felt a glint of Morio's aura. He had actually thought that he was sitting safely in a prison cell in Iwagakure.

Once they completed the mission, he would have a serious word with Kurotsuchi. Something was absolutely not going well in Iwa. Sasuke came to a stop behind him.

"He's here too," he said, commenting on Shikamaru with a nod.

"I have sent a message to Suna, Iwa and Konoha," said Sai who joined them.

"What's next, Shikamaru?" Choji wanted to know.

He knelt and made a sign with his hands. He had to think. The basic plan was in place. Now he had to see how he split up his team so that they had the best possible outcome.

"Naruto and Choji, you clear the way for us and get support from Sasuke and Sakura. You go through the main entrance. Kiba and Sai sneak in unnoticed through the side entrance on the east side and look for Kana. Hinata, Ino and I look for it Temari. We'll go through the west entrance for that. " He got up and looked at his teammates. "Make as much noise as possible so the rest of us can go in unnoticed. Your shadow clones will be very useful, Naruto."

The addressed clenched his fist. "You can count on me, Shikamaru."

* * *

She could hardly concentrate on the food because she realized that something was going on. Morio was restless and kept staring at the door. Temari wasn't sure if she was mistaken, but she had noticed the chakra of several people she knew. But the flicker had only been brief. She only had a vague idea how huge the building they were in was. That's why she had to play for time.

"Have you already tasted the grapes?" She asked in a lovely voice.

“No, love,” he picked up on her tone.

She picked up a bunch of grapes and sat down next to Morio. He seemed very pleased that she was paying him this attention and happily moved aside. Temari was just waiting for him to start drooling like a dog. She had never felt so much contempt for a man. Not only did he let himself be manipulated and distracted by a few feminine charms, he wanted more. She didn't know how he could even become a shinobi with so little self-respect.

When she put the first grape in his mouth and felt his lips on her fingers, she hoped she wasn't mistaken and help was on the way. Otherwise she had opened the doors so that Morio became too self-confident about her. She didn't want to stretch his ego more than necessary. She just wanted information.

* * *

His plan worked perfectly. As soon as Naruto had flooded everything with his shadow doppelgängers, he and his team had disappeared into one of the many corridors. Sai and Kiba had stormed the other way.

Obviously, arrangements had been made to keep Kana and Temari in two different wings. So that she didn't just flee. While he and Ino made sure that no one got in their way, Hinata had activated her Buyakugan. She stood with her back to them and looked at Temari.

"She's not in the room she had been in," Hinata said softly.

"Can you locate her, Hinata?" asked Shikamaru.

"Wait a minute, Shikamaru-kun." Hinata turned a little to the left. “It is one floor above us. And someone is with her. "

Since it wasn't Kana who was with her, this could only mean one thing. So he was not mistaken. Why was Morio here, the man behind the kidnapping. Shikamaru tried to swallow the anger that was thawing inside him. This guy had made life difficult for him the last year. Again he was alone with Temari. Should he touch her again, he didn't know what to do with him.

"Do you know his chakra?"

"It is the man whose chakra signature you shared with us earlier."

“Ino, tell Sasuke and Naruto where to find us. As soon as possible, they should follow us. "

"Will be done."

"Show us the way, Hinata."

Her diversion had worked. All the tension was gone from Morio's body. After a few grapes she had moved away from him so that he wouldn't get stupid ideas. It had not escaped her notice that a few minutes ago there had been quite a noise from a great distance. Either Morio hadn't noticed, or he thought his men would call him if there were problems.

"Tell me, Morio, how are things proceeding from now on?" she asked him and crossed her legs as she straighten her back. "Am I now being forced to marry you? Or are you a little smarter and just kidnap me so that a coup attempt can be made in Suna?"

"We need Suna", he said and got up to sit next to her. "We will exchange the Kazekage. You will lead the rebellion. We know how much you despise the old system. In Iwagakure we have been waiting for a long time to finally usher in a new era, which is yours, Temari. "

When he looked for her hand, everything in Temari resisted, but she had to play along under all circumstances. His thumb brushed her palm. A gesture that reminded her so much of Shikamaru that she got goosebumps.

"What does that mean?"

"In three days there will be explosions in Suna and Iwa at the same time. With this we will eliminate the current Kage. As soon as we have taken power, we will unite our nations with the help of the daimyo."

"The daimyo would never agree to that."

"Well, what do you think I brought Kana here for? I needed a bargaining chip."

Temari moved closer to Morio and immediately noticed the effect it was having on him. He made a choked sound as her breasts brushed his arm. She turned his face to her with her index finger.

"Was it difficult to convince the council in Suna?" she whispered.

"Nothing that cannot be regulated with a genjutsu."

He wet his dry lips with his tongue. She knew what was coming now. She closed her eyes and didn't want to see his face get any closer. Temari waited to feel his lips, but instead nothing happened. She opened her eyelids and saw why Morio hadn't kissed her.

A shadow hand had wrapped around his neck and he was swallowing hard as he tried to gasp for air.  
She turned back and saw Shikamaru kneeling on the floor.

"About goddamn time, crybaby," she said to push away her tears of relief.

"I hate to interrupt you, woman, but a fight is raging out there. So if you would do me a favour and pick up your tessen, I would be very grateful."

She got up and left the panicked-looking Morio behind. But then an idea occurred to her and she walked up to him again.

"Let him get up, Shikamaru," she asked.

"Do you have to make it even more troublesome than it already is, Temari?"

She tried not to be pleased when he pronounced her name. She still had to settle an account with Morio. Temari waited until he was standing upright in front of her, then she lifted her knee. Shikamaru seemed to sense what she was up to, because his shadow immediately withdrew. When Temari hit Morio's most sensitive areas with her knee, she could not only hear a cry of pain from Morio, but a hiss of solidarity from Shikamaru. Morio immediately went down and fell over.

"Now we are even."

After Temari had finally taken the fan from him and Morio was thrown around with force by her, he allowed himself to take a deep breath. He saw her fold her tessen and let her shoulders sag. Shikamaru didn't know how to deal with this situation any more than she did.

They had broke up. She had trampled on his feelings; ripped his heart out. Still, he was relieved. So relieved to know she was fine.

He instinctively looked to see if she was hurt anywhere, when he noticed what kind of clothes she was wearing. Shikamaru couldn't help the fit of laughter that spread inside him. Temari turned around when she saw him shake with laughter. He tried to calm down, but it didn't work.

She was wearing one of those silly, two-piece costumes that were meant for belly dancers in the Land of Wind. Not only was it way too tight, but Temari looked absolutely stupid in it. Furious, she tore off her sleeves and hurled them on the floor.

"Are you done then?" Her voice sounded piqued.

He wiped the tears from his eyes and tossed his vest aside. Then he pulled his top over his head and held it out to her. As always, he wore a mesh shirt under his clothes.

"Here take it."

Grumbling, she reached out and pulled the shirt on. "Thank you."

"Let's tie Morio up and get out of here. Reinforcements are on their way."

He had unconsciously held out his hand to her. At first she seemed unsure whether to grab it, but then she made up her mind and clasped his hand.

His joy in holding her hand was short-lived. Because suddenly he felt something piercing him from behind.

He couldn't breathe.

It was like falling into an abyss.

Temari hadn't even understood what had happened when Shikamaru fell forward. She held him tight as best she could while he spat out blood and gurgled. Behind Shikamaru stood Morio with a kunai that he pulled straight out of his back.

She thought he had passed out. She was filled with blazing anger. But before she could do anything at all, his movements suddenly seemed to become uncontrolled. At the door, Hinata was supporting Ino, who must have used her jutsu. Behind them, Sakura and Naruto stormed in.

She got down on her knees and pulled Shikamaru with her, who had passed out. Her hand grabbed his back and slid off it when she felt something warm, slippery. Blood, there was so much blood that it kept coming out of Shikamaru's back. She wanted to do something about the blood. He died in her arms and there was nothing she could do but press on it with her far too small hand.

"I'm here," said Sakura and immediately pressed her glowing green hand on Shikamaru's wound.

Naruto took Shikamaru out of her trembling arms and held him upright so Sakura could heal him. She couldn't hear his breath or see a pulse beating on his neck. She only noticed marginally that more and more people stormed into the room.

Sasuke took the unconscious Morio with Kiba. Sai carefully lifted Ino into his arms and placed her gently on one of the many pillows. Choji knelt beside Shikamaru crying.

"Temari?" She hadn't been aware at all that she had been spoken to. Kana stood next to her with a hand on her shoulder.

He didn't ask why she was shaking or why the tears were streaming from her eyes like there was no tomorrow. Without a word, Kana understood that Shikamaru was fighting for his life there.

 _Please,_ she pleaded. _Please don't take him away from me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Temari is safe, but was it worth the price?


	27. Returning Home

Time was no longer important to her, but passed by.

Spring was particularly warm in Konoha this year and the cherry blossoms were in full glory when she stood at the window. The wind made the petals dance through the air. They were so free, so carefree, and promised a great summer. Her eyes followed one of the many clouds that were drifting by. 

If it were a day like any other, he would now be lying on his favourite hill and watching the clouds, fascinated. Imagine himself to be a cloud. At some point he would fall asleep until she lay down next to him, leaned against his shoulder and asked if he hadn't better things to do.

She wiped the tears from the corner of her eye with her finger. She missed those times when nothing mattered but both of them. In which the world stood still because they had each other.

She didn't know how many weeks she had been here and had hardly left the room. She waited; that it would get better, that something would change, but there was absolute emptiness in her mind and heart.

Over and over again the images came to her mind. She could feel life leaving him, the smell of blood and the salty taste of her tears. She breathed. That was the only thing that kept her upright, because she didn't have the strength for more.

She didn't hear the voices of the people around her. She choked down the food because she was forced to eat something. Sleep was out of the question. The few hours that she could no longer stay awake, she dozed on one of the visitor chairs.

Sometimes Sakura would wake her up and offer her a glass of water and to sleep at her place. But, as always, she would refuse, just stretch briefly and then move her chair to his bed and hold his hand.

_Please wake up._

With one last deep breath, she turned away from the window and faced reality. She couldn't look at him without immediately trembling. He looked so lost in that big bed.

You'd think he would only sleep if it weren't for all the cables and machines that kept him alive. His skin was so pale. His entire face collapsed and his eyes shaded deep. Even if she didn't know how, her heart broke every time.

The door opened and a new visitor entered with quiet steps. She dared to look to the side. Karui stood there. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. Temari had no idea what kind of flowers they were, but they were yellow and happy.

Should bring colour to this desolate environment.

_Why do you bring flowers to someone who can't see them anyway?_

"Oh, Temari," were the only words she could utter. Then Karui stood next to her and pressed her tight to her chest. Temari was shaking harder now and the sobs from her throat pushed out all the pain that was inside her.

Karui just held her tight. Made her collapse. Because no words could ensure that Shikamaru finally woke up. Nobody knew if he would open his eyes again.

_I do not want to live without you._

_Wake up please._

_I love you._

* * *

At first there was just pain. His head felt hot. Like sticking glowing needles into his brain and slowly pulling them out again. How long this feeling lasted, he didn't know, only that it didn't take too long before the pain was taken away from him. A gentle touch on the forehead brought relief. He would have liked to see who took this torment away from him, but his lids were glued to his eyes.

"Sleep, Shikamaru. You only have a fever."

He believed that voice.

The next time he woke up without pain, but his arms and legs were heavy and numb. He could move them, and immediately the pain went up to his spine. Worst of all, however, felt the middle of his body. It burned like fire there. He had no memory of why everything was hurting so much.

This time he was able to open his eyes.

At first he saw a piercing light. He squinted his eyes until they got used to the brightness. He was alone and in the hospital.

_Konoha._

Because nowhere else were these ugly visitor chairs.

He was still wondering why they were empty, when he heard the monotonous beeping of a heart monitor and the clacking of the ventilator and steady breathing on his left side. His attention was drawn away from the room and towards his body.

He noticed the tube that ran down his nose and supported him with oxygen. There was a port on his right hand that connected him to an IV. It was generally a little difficult to breathe. When he looked down, he saw a bandage flashing from under his shirt.

After completing his inspection, he looked further. Temari was sound asleep, resting her head on her arms. Since it was apparently early morning, he didn't want to wake her. She had deep, dark circles under the eyes.

_How long did I sleep?_

He raised his hand and tried to stroke her hair. Then he stopped. He was sure that she had crouched over him crying when he threatened to bleed to death. He didn't know how they should act around each other. She lied to him; ended their relationship; made him suffer.

He couldn't go back to her old familiarity from now on. Still, it felt good to know she was there.

The door was opened. Shikamaru moved his head in that direction and saw Sakura walking towards him, absorbed in a piece of paper on her clipboard. The heart monitor beeped suspiciously. Sakura looked in his direction. As soon as she saw that he was awake, she quickened her pace.

"Keep lying still," she instructed him. Her hands pressed his shoulders back into the pillow.

"Sakura, what happened?"

"First you answer a few questions for me before you ask some yourself."

He nodded.

"What is your name?"

"Nara Shikamaru."

"When is your birthday?"

"September 23rd."

"Do you know where you are?"

"Konohagakure. In the hospital. The current Hokage is Hatake Kakashi. Do I get my answers now?"

She sighed.

"You lost a lot of blood. You almost died." She pointed to the bandage under his shirt. "The kunai that hit you was poisoned and injured your heart and lungs. You had an operation and your heart stopped several times during it." She squeezed his hand. "The damage has been repaired, but on you are awaiting a long recovery period. "

He had been able to notice this by himself. He felt pretty weak and it was an effort to stay awake.

"How long have I been here?"

"Almost five weeks" Sakura looked at Temari. "She has not left your side."

"I'm glad she's okay," he admitted. His eyes got so heavy. He was really incredibly exhausted.

Sakura felt his forehead. “Keep resting, Shikamaru. We'll still be there when you wake up."

* * *

She had volunteered to pick up Gaara and Kankuro at the Konoha gate. Konoha had invited all Kage to a meeting so that the latest results regarding her abduction could be discussed. Temari would also take part in this, as her person was the linchpin for all the events that had taken their course afterwards. She didn't really feel like doing it, but now that Shikamaru could answer some questions, there was no point in delaying it any longer.

She had not entered his room since Shikamaru woke up a few days ago. She tried to keep herself busy elsewhere. Temari knew her avoidance tactic wouldn't work much longer. Surely her brothers would want to see Shikamaru and she would be forced to come along. She wanted to give him time to get well before they faced each other again.

He had almost lost his life to her utter stupidity. She was the reason they both suffered infinitely, even though it would have been preventable. She was also afraid of his reaction. She would endure no matter what in silence, after all, she hadn't deserved it any other way, only nobody liked to go to his own execution. She had never seen Shikamaru angry. He had his emotions under control and did not become abusive, but he too had his limits and she was sure to have exceeded them more than once. She would have to face it someday, but she didn't hope today.

She could make out the outlines of Gaara and Kankuro in the distance and was briefly amazed to see a third person there. When the three men stood before her, her mouth fell open. Kana had come to Konoha. In all her worry she had completely forgotten that they were still engaged. Now that it occurred to her, she noticed how hot and cold she was at the same time.

_Had Kana come to remind her of her duties?_

She had spent the past few weeks hoping and praying that Shikamaru would wake up and get better. Now that he was on the mend, she could see all the things around her again.

She thought of the council in Suna and Kana's father. How they'd all fallen for the tricks of a rebel group and even Morio only played the interchangeable role of a puppet. He had only been chosen because he had one weak point: Temari. As long as he got what he wanted, he was too happy to go along with everything that was asked of him. The actual leader had been captured by Kumogakure.

She vaguely remembered how Karui had told her about it, but she couldn't get the details together. She was so tired. Not only physically, but above all emotionally completely exhausted.

"It's nice to see you again", Kana greeted her and bowed briefly.

"I'm happy too," she replied. "I just didn't expect you to come to Konoha. Is your father sending you?"

He shook his head. "No, my father will only work in an advisory position. I have taken over the position of the wind daimyo."

* * *

Mirai had not left his side all morning and so Kurenai had left her with him when she had to leave for a moment. He was very happy about the presence of his godchild, because she did not require in-depth discussions about his feelings like Ino and did not wear the sad look of Choji as soon as Temari's name was mentioned.

Shikamaru didn't even know if he wanted to see her. According to Sakura, she was still in Konoha, but hadn't been seen in his room after he woke up again. Her reaction was understandable, but once again absolutely cowardly.

In the past, he would never have considered her capable of simply evading the responsibility of her decisions. Temari had always accepted challenges and did not shy away from it. She hadn't thought it was necessary to lie to him. No, Temari was different. She was straight out and didn't hold back with her opinion.

Therefore, he was not only disappointed, but above all incredibly angry. It had taken a long time to get him to this point and he wasn't usually the type to yell at others and certainly not judge them for their actions, but this was about him, too.

He had almost lost his life in rushing to her aid. He had gone through an emotional hell the months before. Shikamaru didn't want to swallow his feelings. He would make Temari talk to him. Even if he had to comb through every single grain of sand in the Land of Wind to do so.

All of this went through his mind as he watched Mirai paint a picture. He listened to her talking about Shino, who had watched insects with her. She has just drew her last meeting with Kiba and Akamaru on paper. He could have sat like that for quite a while, only a knock on the door broke the silence. He invited the visitor in.

Gaara and Kankuro entered, completely unexpected. He could make out another man he had never seen before and Temari was right behind. His heart stopped for a moment, then Mirai took the whole thing in hand and jumped up.

"Mari!" she screamed and fell off the bed. Shikamaru was worried she would fall, but Temari was there to catch Mirai and take her in her arms.

She deliberately avoided his gaze. Shikamaru was about to say something, but changed his mind. Mirai shouldn’t see any argument between them.

"How do you feel?" said Kankuro first.

"Pretty exhausted," he admitted. "It's really troublesome to get well again."

"Such an answer can only come from you."

Shikamaru made a short, amused sound, and Kankuro patted him on the shoulder, quite uncharacteristically for him.

"Suna is indebted to you, Shikamaru. You not only saved my sister, you also made sure that we could capture a rebel group," said Gaara. "The other members of the Shinobi Alliance are also very grateful for your commitment. Without you it would not have been possible to come a little closer to peace in the world."

Shikamaru knew that the words from anyone else's mouth would have sounded completely strange. But he had known Gaara long enough to know that he meant every single word seriously. So he nodded to the Kazekage. Gaara indicated a smile.

The other man cleared his throat and stepped over to his bed. He held out his hand in greeting. Shikamaru took it a little confused.

"Kana. Nice to meet you at last."

"Shikamaru."

So this was the man Temari was going to marry. A man even younger than himself and with even more responsibility. Shikamaru was definitely not impressed by it like others. He was the right hand man of the Hokage and was constantly involved with the most influential men and women in the world. Shikamaru looked for something else in Kana's features.

"I came here today to say thank you for saving me. As the wind daimyo, I would like to show my appreciation to Konoha."

"That is not necessary," said Shikamaru. He felt Temari staring at him.

"But I think it is necessary," continued Kana. "Now that I've taken over my father's post, I'll do it differently. Canceling the engagement between Temari and me is the first step."

Shikamaru was sure to hear a sound from Temari, but he kept his eyes fixed on Kana.

"I thank you for the offer and would suggest submitting this to the Hokage."

"I will do this."

"We should meet Kakashi now," Kankuro muttered.

They turned away to leave. Only Temari stayed behind because Mirai did not want to let go of her.

"I'm sorry, I have to go now, Mirai," she said sadly.

"No!" she repeated, clutching to Temari even tighter. Shikamaru had to swallow when he saw this. Mirai had missed Temari too and of course she didn't understand what had happened.

"Mirai, I have to go to the Hokage now. I'll be back after that."

"You lie!" she screamed. "You were gone. Maru was sad!"

Temari winced at that. Shikamaru was torn between his emotions. Since he had been forbidden to stand up with death threats, he could only watch Mirai trying to keep Temari to herself with everything she had. He had always known that Mirai was very fond of Temari.

How much he realized now.

She was near the end of her self-control when Mirai vehemently prevented her from leaving the room. For a child almost four years old, she was incredibly powerful. Temari didn't want to hurt the little one any more than she had already done, but she couldn't stand being around Shikamaru any longer.

They avoided looking at each other so much that it just hurt. The tension between them hummed softly and made her hair stand on end. She was about to give the child to Shikamaru when someone stepped into the room she had avoided just as much as the meeting with every other person from Konoha who was close to Shikamaru.

"Temari," she said curtly.

"Ino."

The women looked at each other appraisingly. Temari knew that she was only safe from Ino because she was holding Mirai. Otherwise she would have launched an attack. You could see it clearly in her eyes.

If she was an understanding friend before, Temari wouldn't get away this time. Breaking up with Shikamaru in a bad way was one thing. The reason her best friend nearly died, however, made her move high on the hit list.

"I knew you were in Konoha, but I never saw you."

_Were you hiding on purpose?_

"I was busy."

She didn't even lie. She had immediately offered to replace Shikamaru and checked out one or the other contract for the Hokage. It was nowhere near enough to keep her busy all day, but enough work to distract herself from her situation and avoid unpleasant questions.

"Hey, Mirai, sweetie. Shall we eat some ice cream?"

"Yes!" uttered Mirai enthusiastically.

"I just have to talk to Shikamaru for a moment. Then we can go. Are you staying with Temari that long?"

Mirai nodded and Ino took this as an opportunity to go to Shikamaru. Temari saw her lean over and kiss Shikamaru on the cheek and then take a seat next to him.

Temari didn't want to overhear their conversation so she caught Mirai in a talk about her favourite ice cream. The girl definitely wanted to eat three sorts. One had to be strawberry. She suggested vanilla to it, but Mirai shook her head. Ino soon finished speaking to Shikamaru and came back to her and Mirai.

"Come on, Mirai. The ice is waiting for us." She let Ino take her into her arms without hesitation.

"Is Temari coming with us?"

"Not today, but soon. She has to talk to Shikamaru now," said Ino. "First, say goodbye to Temari."

Mirai suddenly leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Temari was so touched by this gesture that her hand reached out.

"See you soon, Mari."

"Talk to him and don't run away again", Ino whispered to her before she left the room.

Fortunately, he didn't have to ask Temari to come closer because she did it by herself. She seemed no more ready for this conversation than he was. Only he had to finally vent. He didn't know if he felt any better after that, but wouldn't hold back any longer. He would have to hurt her. It wasn't vengeance that drove him, but she had to understand what she had done. Not only with him, but also with the Shinobi Alliance.

The confidence in her was gone. The confidence in his ability to make judgments. Karui had told him about the current developments and he knew how much work awaited him as soon as he was allowed to do more than sleep and eat.

She said nothing, just stood there with her head bowed. She played nervously with her fingers. Shikamaru wanted her to say something, something so that he wouldn't yell at her right away, because he would do that any second.

"I'm sorry," she finally managed to say.

"What exactly are you sorry for?" She lifted her head and looked at him. Apparently she hadn't expected how harsh and cold his voice could sound.

"Everything."

He laughed cheerlessly. "Let's list what that includes." Shikamaru saw her straighten her shoulders, ready for what was to come.

"You lied to me and pretended that everything is fine between us," he began and looked at her intensely. “Then you disappeared in the middle of the night. Without a word of explanation. " He saw her swallow. “I believed you were fine. Instead, you lie to me, you even sleep with me, although you have already made completely different plans. "

His voice grew louder and she winced.

"You pushed me aside and made me believe that I did something wrong!"

He would have loved to get up and look her straight in the face because she had turned her head to one side.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Shikamaru," she said so quietly that he could almost not hear it. "If then I made mistakes."

He hit his blanket with his fist. Now tears stung his eyes. Shikamaru didn't know what to do with all his feelings. Suddenly her hand came over his.

“I'll do anything you want. Everything you ask of me to make you feel better. "

His eyes closed and he let out a deep breath.

"Then I ask you to go now," he said softly. "I can't do that right now."

Instead of answering, she let go of his hand and left the room.

It was like saying goodbye forever.

She soon left the hospital behind. With quick steps she moved further away from Shikamaru. Temari didn't know if they would see each other again. He had asked her to go, so she would. She could have been blamed for running away again, but she knew it wouldn't do anything to force him to forgive her. Because she didn't deserve it. She just felt terribly miserable.

She noticed how her tears clouded her view again. She quickened her pace. Of course she ran into someone when she turned the next street corner. One hand held her arm so she wouldn't fall.

"Sorry," she said, startled, and looked into Sasuke Uchiha's face.

"Ah," he replied.

Temari knew that Sasuke wasn't a man of many words. She herself had never had much contact with him either. Constantly bumping into him after almost three years of absence drove her insane. She was happy for Naruto and Sakura, but the memory of his earlier attitude still sent a shiver down her spine.

"I have to go then." She wanted to tear away her arm, but Sasuke seemed to want to say something else. "Is there anything else?"

He raised an eyebrow briefly. "Do you love him?"

"I don't know what that has to do with you," she managed indignantly.

Unimpressed, he continued: "He left immediately without thinking twice."

 _He loves you and is ready to give his life for you_ , she read between the lines.

"What if I love him?"

"Then he can forgive you." Finally he let go of her arm.

"Do you think love is enough?"

"Yes," he said before turning away and continuing on his way.

* * *

Two more weeks passed and he was finally allowed to go home. He had spent a great deal of time in the hospital thinking, interrupted by visits to friends and family. Mirai had made a few pictures for him, which he had carefully packed to hang up at home. He had promised her to visit the deer in the forest again as soon as he was healthy. He felt like he had missed so much and he could hardly classify his feelings.

Shikamaru had been sure to die. After he was injured with a poisoned kunai in the Chunin exams last year, he had been pursued again and this time nearly succeeded. He was actually wondering if it was a bad joke of fate to keep pulling him so close to death. Of course, the life of a shinobi was dangerous. Only he seemed to reach out his hand to death through the most stupid coincidences.

But what moved him more was Temari. He wanted to fix that between them again. Even if they could no longer be together as a couple, he didn't want to erase her from his life for good. She had been important to him long before their relationship. He missed her pointed comments and teasing. He just wanted to be able to deal with her normally. Shikamaru very much hoped they could do it.

But for that, absolute honesty had to prevail. She couldn't lie to him again and keep things quiet. All of his anger about her behaviour was still simmering in him, but he wanted to try to push that aside for now.

He had yelled at her and asked her to leave. She had accepted this and it didn't feel right that they had parted like that. But he wouldn't chase after her. He just didn't have the strength for that.

Yoshino had tried to persuade him to return to his parents' house. Choji and Ino had jumped in here to save him. They had promised to watch out for Shikamaru. That didn't stop Yoshino from walking through his apartment like a headless chicken on the day of his release.

"Mum, please. I can take care of myself."

She had been in the kitchen for at least two hours, cooking one dish after another. After transferring the food into cans and labelling them properly, she put them in the refrigerator.

"I can see that", she remarked and stirred the curry again. Shikamaru knew he had lost this battle. With slow steps he moved back to his bedroom.

He thought of the waves that Temari's kidnapping had caused. After all, Morio had only been an interchangeable pawn when he pushed him over his mental shogi board. The people behind it all weren't just responsible for the nukenin in Kirigakure, they wanted to turn the entire shinobi world upside down. First they wanted to get rid of the kage, then the daimyo, and finally establish their own system. That was what they needed Temari for. Because of her relationship to Gaara, she not only had a special position, but one knew about her diplomatic skills.

Why they'd believed that Temari would just go along with it was a mystery to him, but the plan wasn't bad, just badly executed. Morio had been very perfidiously manipulated by a genjutsu, even if most of his actions were his free choice. He should take care that Shikamaru got out of the way and wanted Temari just for himself. It wasn't that he felt sorry for him, too much had happened.

All of this had come to light in a meeting of all kage, which he had not been able to attend because Sakura had forbidden him to leave his bed. He preferred not to think about peeing in a pot that had been brought to his bed for the past weeks. He had been so happy to be able to go to a proper toilet for the first time.

Karui had come to see him briefly after the meeting. She had been one of the people in charge from Kumo who had put the rebel group down. She was injured herself in the process. Fortunately, she hadn't asked how it was between him and Temari. He wouldn't have had an answer.

Sai had eventually set out to the trip to the Land of Iron. There he had met Matsuri, who didn't even give more information when asked. Shikamaru didn't really want to think about it, but he had nothing else to do to distract himself. He couldn't even play shogi because he hadn't been allowed to do anything other than lie down or walk short distances. His wounds were slowly healing. So he decided to just sleep.

That was the best way of passing the time.

* * *

It was one of the rare rainy days in Suna when Temari sat on her bed and stared at the key to his apartment. She ran her thumb over the small fan. She completely forgot to return the key. She felt like the memory of it was from another life. So much had happened since then. She looked out the window again.

Temari had been a coward and hadn't dared show up at the Shinobi Alliance. As much as she loved her job, sooner or later she would probably no longer work closely with Konoha. She had asked Gaara to ask the Mizukage to work in Kirigakure in the future. Chojuro would take over her post for Konoha and Omoi would be present more frequently in Sunagakure. So far nothing was decided, mainly because her heart contracted painfully when she thought about how much she would miss the preparation for the Chunin exams. It wasn't just Shikamaru that she would miss. She liked being in Konoha. The milder climate, the shade of the trees and all her friends.

She cried silent tears until a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder.

"You're crying again, Temari," he said worriedly.

She felt incredibly silly to throw herself into the arms of her youngest brother, crying. He held her tight and squeezed her tighter as she only sobbed more. Gaara was not used to such emotional outbursts from her. He also found it very uncomfortable to comfort people. But he was there. Just as she would always be there for him.

"I've made so many mistakes, Gaara." She pulled away from him and ran her hands through her tearful face. "I not only lost Shikamaru, I also destroyed everything that is important to me."

"Everyone makes mistakes," he said gently. "You too can make mistakes."

"But not such mistakes!"

She got up and blinked angrily at him now. Everyone was constantly feeling sorry for her instead of finally telling her their opinion. She could endure the truth. She would only attain absolution when everyone finally told her what they really thought and didn't sneak around the subject; just as Shikamaru had done, even if it still hurt.

"I have permanently damaged the relationship with Konoha. The Shinobi Alliance is no longer in my hands. My friendships are all gone. And Shikamaru ..."

The tears flowed out without further ado. She got on her knees because everything hurt so much. She folded her arms in front of her body. It was so difficult to breathe. She didn't want to cry anymore, but that was the only way she could express all these feelings.

"Have you talked to him?" She shook her head. Gaara knelt in front of her. "Then you will go to Konoha now, Temari."

"What?" She looked at him horrified.

_Hadn't he just listened to her? She couldn't go to Konoha. It was absolutely impossible._

"I haven't informed the other Kage of the changes yet. Please talk to Shikamaru. And if you still want those changes, send me a message and I'll do everything as you want."

"Thank you, Gaara," she whispered.

* * *

A few days later, Shikamaru was awakened by the cat's annoying meow. He opened his eyes as Arashi screamed right in his ear, demanding attention. Shikamaru had given up any attempt to banish the cat from his bedroom. Arashi wanted to be with him so he let the cat be.

"You got some food," he said to the cat. "It's the middle of the night. Shouldn't you be sleeping too?"

As if to confirm, Arashi meowed a little more quietly and jumped off the bed. Shikamaru was about to disappear back to the land of dreams when the cat continued to scream loudly at the door.

"Okay, okay. I'm getting up already."

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and was glad it was working better now. It would be a while before he was fully recovered, but small steps were the beginning. He followed the cat, who was now leading with his tail raised, into the living room. The cat jumped on the arm of the sofa and looked down. Curious what he was observing there, Shikamaru followed the cat's line of sight.

He rubbed his tired eyes. Sure he was just completely drowsy, but when he looked again, his senses weren't fooled. Temari laid on the sofa and slept.

_What was she doing here?_

The cat seemed to have lost all interest in Shikamaru and now meowed loudly in Temari's ear.

"Dammit, cat. Don't do that."

Shikamaru saw her eyes open. She looked first at the cat and then at Shikamaru. Startled, she opened her mouth and jumped up. She got caught with her feet in the blanket and fell off the sofa with a loud crash. Shikamaru was still completely surprised by her sudden appearance that he left it to her to free herself from the blanket. She looked at him guiltily.

"I have only just arrived and there were no vacancies in any of the accommodations. Sorry. I'll just stay outside."

She got up and walked past him at a great distance.

"Stay."

He saw her freeze. In the next instant she turned around. He saw tears standing in her eyes.

He moved towards her on his own and pulled her into his arms. They just stood there for a long time, holding onto each other.

Shikamaru didn't know what to expect in the future, but he wanted to forgive her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS is the reason Arashi exists in this story.
> 
> Every time I read Shikamaru's "Stay" it sends shivers down my spine...
> 
> (And whoever thought I would let Shikamaru die: Not in this story! And today I'm a bit emotional. I finished translating.)


	28. Normalcy

Shikamaru was still asleep when she woke up.

After a quick shower, she went into the kitchen and prepared breakfast for him. She was not very hungry herself and satisfied with a yogurt, which she ate when the tea had to steep.

As always, Arashi was curious and licked her finger clean when she offered a dollop of yogurt there. She quickly put the food in front of the cat and draped breakfast on a tray.

She would see if Shikamaru was awake. It was his usual time to get up.

At her knock she could at least hear his voice asking her inside. When he saw that she was carrying a tray, his eyebrows seemed to rise so high that they almost fell off his forehead.

"I hope you didn't get up earlier," he remarked and indicated a smile.

It was almost too much for her. Just he looking at her meant so much to her.

She felt his eyes wander over her face and finally over her body. Temari knew that not only did she have deep circles under her eyes, but that she had lost at least 20 pounds since their break up. His brows furrowed. He didn't like what he saw. But she didn't want to talk about it now.

"Don't worry. Arashi woke me up. Enjoy your breakfast."

She didn't turn around when he sighed loudly.

"Do you want to run away again, Temari?"

"I'm not running away," she replied. "But I just broke into your apartment and left you no choice if you wanted to see me at all. That's why I made you breakfast. I wanted to apologize to you."

"Now sit down with me at last." His voice was neither harsh nor pleading, but gentle and a relief to her soul. "You don't need to apologize coming here. I'm glad you didn't stay outside. So do me a favour and keep me company."

She had become so incredibly thin that he was seriously worried. Her cheekbones protruded, making her dark-rimmed eyes look even bigger. He saw how loosely the dress hung around her hips. He could see her pulse beating on her wrist. She was pale and struggled to stand upright. He could see how much she had suffered and how fragile she was.

The separation had taken its toll on her too and the time he had been lying unconscious, dead to the world, in the hospital, seemed to have left its mark as well.

After tormenting seconds she finally came to him on the bed and pulled her legs close to her. He could tell by the raised hair on her arms that she was freezing. Without a comment he handed her his blanket. She looked at him gratefully and wrapped herself in it.

She had made him toast. Spread with honey and jam. There was also green tea. He always ate lightly. Like her, he had no appetite in the morning.

The tense silence between them was so unusual. He used to like sitting in silence with her. They had just sat next to each other and touched sporadically, exchanging smiles; kissed. How much he missed kissing her. But now was this the worst possible time. So much was broken. Their closeness and above all the trust.

He took a sip of tea to keep his hands busy.

"Do you have to work?" he asked her because that was the only subject that occurred to him that didn’t confront them with their feelings.

"No," she said. "Gaara sent me here to talk."

He would have bet his left foot that Kankuro would have forced her to face him. On occasion he would thank Gaara for that. Bringing Temari to something she was deeply reluctant to do was an achievement with an incredible potential for conflict.

"Do you want to talk? You don't look like you want to be here."

She winced. He took a bite of his toast. The honey ran straight over his hand.

"I ..." her voice failed her.

"Can't we just save ourselves the fact that you are sorry and get right to the heart of the matter, Temari? I'm angry with you and deeply disappointed in you, but if we just don't talk with each other it won't solve any problems." He sighed. “I yelled at you last time, but I won't do that now. We should talk. " While trying not to drip honey over everything, he looked at her.

"I immediately regretted everything," she whispered. "I just didn't want to drag you into all the things that concern Suna. You don't know how much pressure the council put on me. They were against us from the start. And after Morio's attack I started thinking. Wouldn't life be easier if I wasn't a Kunoichi anymore? I just didn't have the strength to fight. "

Suddenly it all made sense.

He had noticed how her behaviour had changed after Morio's attack. He had been able to explain everything logically and completely ignored his uneasy feeling while he was already planning their wedding. If he had realised this earlier, everything would never have happened. He, too, was to blame for this dilemma. They were both absolutely unable to talk about their feelings.

"Did the thought make you happy?"

A bitter laugh rose from her throat. "To be locked in a cage and just look pretty but otherwise not be heard? This was never the future I imagined."

"Still you wanted to marry Kana."

She looked at him angrily now. After being so shy and remorseful at first, the old Temari struggled to the surface. This he liked her a lot better.

"I had no other choice. The council put me under pressure, and so did the wind daimyo. Suna's well-being depended on whether I marry Kana. Otherwise Gaara would have been deposed as Kazekage and some things would have been made more difficult for us. It was a decision against my own happiness and for the good of my people. How would you have decided? "

She pulled the covers tighter around her. Her eyes challenged him to contradict her.

"I would have decided the same," he agreed. "But I would have talked to you. You lied to me and that hurt more than knowing that you had decided for Suna's good."

He saw something break inside her. The realization flashed across her face. She put her hand over her mouth and let out a loud sob.

Shikamaru picked up the tray and placed it on his bedside table. Then he got up and pulled Temari close to him. She was trembling all over. The breath came out of her in spurts. He felt the bones of her shoulders and the ribs under his fingers. His hand ran through her hair.

Slowly she calmed down again. At some point she was leaning heavily against his shoulder and clinging to him.

"Please don't ever lie to me again, Temari," he said to her ear. "You don't have to carry everything on your shoulders alone. I can help you. That's what I'm here for."

He grabbed her chin with his hand. His thumb brushed the last tear from her eyes.

"Let's go to the forest."

* * *

They had been walking through the forest for a while and Temari was beginning to wonder if they would be arriving soon.

Her feet ached from the way to Konoha and then she hardly got any sleep. She also had a terrible headache from the constant crying. Shikamaru was carrying a blanket that she had graciously let him carry. On her back hung the rucksack that she had filled with all kinds of things according to Shikamaru's instructions.

Finally he raised his hand to make her stop. A river crossed their path. Without saying a word, he spread the blanket under a tree. The trees showed their whole magnificence. Some birds were chirping. Otherwise it was quiet.

Shikamaru sat down, leaned against the tree and closed his eyes. Sweat glistened on his forehead. The way here had obviously been an effort. She put the backpack down and heard a rustle. A deer broke through the thicket. It was not the first time in her life that she saw a deer. Only she had never been so close to them.

The deer ran up to Shikamaru quite unabashedly and nudged him.

"You have to go to Temari if you want something", he talked to the deer and opened his eyes.

The animal looked in the direction his finger was pointing. The deer immediately cocked its head and looked at her expectantly. Shikamaru laughed softly. "In the side pocket you will find delicacies for the deer. Put one on the open palm and see what happens."

"Isn't that your job?" she asked sceptically. She had expected to see deer, but it still scared her. The stag's antlers looked untrustworthy from her point of view.

"I would if I could, but the way here was further than expected and I won't be able to get up for the next half hour."

She rolled her eyes, but still did what he asked. No sooner had she put the pill on her hand the stag started moving. She felt his wet tongue. It took all her strength not to flinch at the touch. The pill disappeared into his mouth and he took a step closer. She kept eye contact the whole time.

"Now you can pet him."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Stroke him. Benjiro especially likes that."

"The deer have names?"

"Of course. Aoi is just arriving there with her calf."

Two more deer emerged from behind Aoi. All deer looked the same to her. It was an absolute mystery to her how Shikamaru could tell them apart with just one look. She took a deep breath and put her index finger along the stag's chin. As soon as she realized that he wasn't going to attack her, she got bolder and took her whole hand. Soon she was stroking the neck along the back. The fur was so smooth and felt silky. A smile spread across her lips. She was so grateful for this privilege.

Suddenly Shikamaru whistled and another dozen deer appeared.

"Are you serious, Shikamaru?"

"You can do it", he remarked with a smile. "Everyone gets a pill and check for injuries or other illnesses. I think Etsui back there is pregnant again."

She rolled her eyes again. This was not how she had imagined her trip.

Watching Temari act with the deer made him happy. She gave a startled squeak when a deer licked her face because it wasn't going fast enough. Kai was always fed first by him so that he could take care of the other animals in peace. He instructed to her from his seat as she treated the wounds and examined the animals for diseases.

When he felt strong enough, he stood up and helped palpate the pregnant doe. She just squeezed hesitantly. He took her hand and introduced her to the task with the right hand movements.

"That's the head," he explained, dragging her hand to the next spot. "If he were here, we would have to turn the calf."

"Does not that hurt?"

He pulled the corners of his mouth up briefly. "I'll get help for such cases." He let go of Temari's hand and scratched the doe under the chin before turning away. He wanted to bend down and grab the backpack, when Temari snatched it away.

"Don't you dare, Shikamaru."

"We could do a little fishing and fry some fish," he suggested.

She rummaged in her pocket and tossed him a package.

"I'm prepared," she replied. "Sit down again. I'm just washing my hands."

Shortly afterwards they were sitting together on the blanket and eating sandwiches.

Temari had filled their water bottles. Nothing tasted as pure and refreshing as water from the Nara forests. He heard Temari stretching, making humming noises. She seemed to feel better than she did a few hours ago.

"It's beautiful here," she stated. "Do you often bring other people with you?"

"No," he answered her question. "Only people precious to me."

Immediately a light red crept onto her cheeks.

"I don't know if I deserve this title." Shikamaru wanted to reply something but she put her hand over his mouth. "Let me finish."

He motioned for her to continue.

"I caused you and myself a lot of suffering because I thought I was doing the right thing. I was just cowardly. You confessed your love to me." She paused briefly, "I never learned to say such words. How could I of all people deserve to be loved? I was scared and that's why I drove you so harshly away from me. I wanted that you forget me and start again. I'm used to the pain and loneliness. You have friends who could help you. I would somehow bite through. "

There was so much pain in her voice. The rejection by her father, the loss of her mother, the fear caused by Gaara. She had gone through hell so many times in her life and become such a wonderful woman. He admired her. He wanted to be by her side and give her the feeling that she didn't have to be alone because she was used to it, but that she could be alone when she wanted to.

"I want to finally get it right between us and be there with all my heart. You are the most important person in my life. I don't want to lose you. Not again."

"I'll try to forgive you Temari." He sighed. “But I can't promise this will always be nice. I'm sure I'll scream and act unfairly. I just think we have both suffered enough and should try to deal with each other sensibly. "

He squeezed her hand confidently. Even when she had tears in her eyes, she smiled. He had missed that sly smile so much.

He didn't want to complicate things unnecessarily. He wanted a normal, stress-free life, a wife by his side, two children and just doing the things that gave him joy. And Temari was part of this life. The time without her had been without colour and light, there was only storms and shadows in his soul. That's why he wanted to go into the forest with her. Want to show her how important she was still to him.

He hoped his message got through to her. If he looked at her now, she was definitely a lot better.

"Better let's go back slowly. It's after noon."

Temari was so happy about her trip that she only noticed how bad Shikamaru was when he doubled over in pain. Before he fell, she grabbed his shoulders from the front just in time. She heard how hard he was breathing.

"Shikamaru, where does it hurt?"

He doesn't answer right away, which panicked her. He reached into her side with his hand and groaned.

"Talk to me," she asked him. "Do you have to lie down?"

Finally a reaction came from him. "Yes."

She quickly helped him lie down. His entire face was twisted with tension.

"I'll lift your shirt and see if your wound is open, okay?"

"Hngh," he pressed out, which she interpreted as a yes.

So far she hadn't seen the wound and was therefore not prepared for the sight. Almost his entire upper body was covered with a huge plaster. She knew how close he was to death, but she hadn't realized that they had completely cut him open during the operation.

Apparently she had made a sound, because Shikamaru grabbed her hand.

"It's not as bad as it looks," he muttered.

"Not that bad? You have a huge wound that goes all over your body and you're walking around with me like you've just cut your finger. Damn it, Shikamaru!"

She saw that the bandage was red in places. The blood looked fresh.

Since they were in the middle of the woods and she had no new bandages, she pulled the shirt back down. She wanted to keep yelling at him, especially because he was now smiling stupidly while she was angry, but she had to get him to the hospital as soon as possible.

"Can you walk? Otherwise I'll carry you."

"Just support me," he said. "The pain is almost gone."

* * *

The facial expression with which Sakura looked at him was in no way inferior to Ino's when she was mad at him. She had wasted no time and immediately manoeuvred him onto a treatment table. Then she took off his shirt and removed the bandage. Her hands carefully felt over the wound. Here and there she pressed on what he commented with sharp exhalations.

"You tried too hard," she stated. "This irritated the tissue around the wounds. That led to the pain attack and the small bleeding." She picked up a reddish brown ointment that smelled salty and spread it generously along the wound. "I have forbidden you to walk for more than thirty minutes at a time. You should lie in bed and rest. Instead, you run into the forest to devote yourself to the stupid deer."

"Temari took care of them," he remarked.

Sakura put the ointment aside. "Sit down."

He followed her instructions. She wrapped his entire upper body.

"Can I go home then?"

She snorted. "I would love to keep you here overnight if I knew it would work," she replied. "Be sure that from now on you will be visited three times a day by Ino or me. It was absolutely madness of you to act like that. Did you want to impress Temari? I always thought that you wouldn't act like this"

"I wanted to cheer her up."

"Then next time buy her flowers," she suggested and helped him get dressed again. "Because Temari is sitting outside now and is worried. I don't know how you feel about each other at the moment, but you seem to care about your well-being."

"I didn't mean to be so troublesome. Sorry, Sakura."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Take care of yourself. We still need you." Sakura pressed pain pills into his hand. "The pain could come back."

He got up from the bed, nodded to her and left the room.

Not only Temari but also Ino and Choji as well as Sai and Naruto were waiting for him outside.

"I can't believe what an incredible idiot you are, Shikamaru," Ino rumbled off. Sai held her back as she tried to storm to him.

"You could have let someone else take care of the deer. I've helped you many times," said Choji.

Shikamaru had hoped not to cause too much of a fuss, but when he crept slowly through the village, supported by Temari, it was inevitably people would notice it.

"Man, Shikamaru. We are your friends. If you need help, we are there, you know?" Having to listen to a sermon from Naruto was the last thing he needed.

"What did Sakura say?" The question came from Temari, who had just sat there the whole time.

"I can go home." He saw her shoulders drop in relief.

"Besides, Ino will take care of you tonight," said Sakura who suddenly stood behind him. "I organized a wheelchair for you. You won't walk home."

"Mendukose," he said, making everyone laugh.

* * *

Temari had withdrawn into the kitchen and prepared fish for Shikamaru and soup for herself and the others. She didn't want to impose herself while Ino and Choji were there. She was also consumed by her guilty conscience. She had never apologized to them for her behaviour. She didn't like the tension that existed between them. Even if Ino had been there for her, she knew that she would always take Shikamaru's side, Choji also stood loyally by Shikamaru and would always prevent him from being hurt further.

"Can I help you Temari?" Ino stood in the doorway.

"I just have to distribute everything on plates and bowls."

"Then I'll help you." Of course, she reached into the cupboards and took out bowls while Temari tended the fish. "That smells good. Shikamaru is sure to be happy about the food."

"Ino, I'm sorry." She had just put everything on a tray and turned to face her.

"You don't have to apologize, Temari."

"Yes. I was cowardly and stupid. My incompetence hurt Shikamaru. I know how much he means to you and Choji."

Ino pushed her hair behind her ear. "We're not the naive girls we were back then. I don't think you intentionally caused so much chaos either. Mistakes are human. I see how happy Shikamaru is around you. That's what matters. I watched you over the years. Your feelings for each other have grown and have led to everything as it is now," she took a deep breath. "I'm just asking you not to make the same mistake again. Otherwise it'll tear him apart. Shikamaru doesn't give away his heart lightly."

Ino suddenly pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

* * *

At last they were alone again. Shikamaru was completely satisfied with himself after the meal. He was lying on the sofa and let the television shower over him. The cat had made himself comfortable on the arm of the sofa. With every passing minute it became harder to keep his eyes open.

"Do you want to go to bed, Shikamaru?"

He pulled one of his eyelids up and looked at Temari, who was looking down at him with her hands on her hips.

"No. I want to watch the movie."

"Liar," she said, amused. "You're just too lazy to get up."

How much he'd missed hearing that exact tone of voice from her.

"Maybe I just want to arouse enough pity that you sit down with me and I can lay my head on your lap."

He looked at her now with both eyes and put as much sadness into it as he could.

"Move." She waited just long enough for him to straighten up. Then she grabbed the remote, laid his head on her lap, and flipped through the program.

At some point a film about samurai was shown on the screen. There was apparently enough blood that Temari felt addressed. She leaned back and ran her hand through his hair.

Shikamaru thought how lucky he was and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought that the Nara forest is some kind of place of healing.
> 
> So I used it in this chapter to start healing their realtionship. 
> 
> Next chapter is my favourite. I have a lot of chapters I really adore, but chapter 29? I've written it in one go, without thinking about it twice. Hope you love it like I do. Can't wait to read your reactions. ^^


	29. Uncharted Territory

Even though Temari stayed in Konoha for a few days and was confident that Shikamaru and she would find each other again at least on a friendly level, she was unsure how to behave towards him. After he fell asleep on her lap a few days ago, she knew what she wanted, but how Shikamaru thought and what he felt was a mystery to her. She used to recognize what was bothering him by his body language, the noisy rolling of his eyes or the way he moved his hand.

Now they were in uncharted territory, both hurt by how they had acted.

There was a strange atmosphere that was so charged because no one wanted to hurt the other any more. Their hearts were open and completely destroyed. Where before there was love, uncertainty now grew rampant.

What also didn't help was Shikamaru's health, which didn't allow him to leave the apartment. Even Ino and Sakura, who regularly checked on Shikamaru, did not remain hidden how Temari and Shikamaru behaved. In the end it was Choji who pulled her aside one day when Shikamaru had just laid down in the garden to watch the clouds.

"You must talk to each other," he suggested. Temari, who was filling a bowl with the food for Arashi, paused and looked at Choji.

"I don't know how, Choji," she replied. "On the first day everything was fine and now we have agreed a kind of truce, but nobody dares to speak to the other."

"That's why someone has to start," Choji let out with a sigh. “You helped me get together with Karui. It hurts to see you like that. So go out there now and talk to Shikamaru. "

He snatched the food from her hand and pushed her out of the kitchen by the shoulders. Temari didn't have time to argue and she didn't want to. Choji was right and she admired his courage to speak openly about it. Otherwise it was not his kind of attitude.

She had made sure it all fell apart, so she had to take the first step.

She stepped uncertainly on the porch. Shikamaru was lying on the grass, eyes closed peacefully, the back of his head resting on his crossed arms; as always. Anyone else could have believed that he was sleeping, but Temari saw a smile creep up on his face. He had noticed her presence.

That encouraged her to jump off the porch and run through the grass with her bare feet.

"Shouldn't you be doing something useful, crybaby?"

He opened one eye and grinned broadly. "Have you come to disturb my peace, troublesome woman?"

She made a sound of amusement.

"No, I'm just being careful that you don't suddenly put down roots. It would be a drag to explain why I didn't prevent that."

He chuckled at her remark. "Lie down with me," he said.

She couldn't say no when he looked at her with his brown eyes. She had just had to live without looking at him for too long. She wanted that back, she wanted him back.

So she lay on her back next to him and looked at the sky.

Not sure what was coming.

Shikamaru had no illusions.

He knew that he and Temari couldn't return to the same point they were at before the break up within a few days. They needed time and many conversations before they could start over. Because that's exactly what he wanted: a new beginning.

Her closeness felt so good and everyone had to think he was an idiot not to chase her back to Suna right away, but maybe the fact that he had just barely escaped death was one reason why he just wanted peace. He didn't want to undo what had happened or forget it, but rather give both of them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

Because he too had made mistakes.

He should have had the courage to make a decision much earlier. Like Temari, he had been carried away by the uncertainty whether they could do it. He had been sure from the start that Temari was his woman. The woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She had managed to hold his broken heart together and mend it.

Long before he realized that he didn't just see her as a good friend, but wanted a relationship with her.

So he was glad she lay down on the grass next to him. That she had come to him. Choji must have interfered. Which was absolutely atypical for him. Only he knew that Choji wanted Temari and he to get back together too, because he liked her very much despite the circumstances. He wanted Shikamaru to be happy.

They had spent the last few days together as usual, but it was different. They hadn't exchanged their normal banter. They had hardly said more than their greetings in the morning and a "good night" when he went to bed and Temari went to sleep on the sofa.

The closeness between them consisted of the few hours they sometimes shared on the sofa watching a movie and sitting next to each other. More than once he had tried to take her hand. He wanted to kiss her even more often. But that would only have widened the gap between them. He didn't want to attack her out of the blue, even if he longed for her, missed her even more than before.

He noticed how tense she was lying next to him. She was prepared for jumping up and running away at any moment. He had to prevent that.

"You can move closer. I don't bite," he said. She narrowed the space between them by a few inches, but remained as stiff as a board beside him.

He sighed. "You can lean against me, Temari."

She turned her head to him. One eyebrow raised questioningly. Then she turned on her side, painfully slow. Instead of doing what he had suggested, however, she lay facing him and looked at him uncertainly.

He knew she wanted it as much as he did.

So he reached out his left arm and pulled her hand over to him. She made another startled sound, but after he had built this bridge for her, her head found its way onto his chest by itself. Her hand entwined with his. Temari let out a deep breath that she had apparently been holding the whole time.

"Better?" asked he.

"Much better."

He was satisfied with that for the time being.

She was so overwhelmed to feel his closeness, to inhale his scent and just be near to him, that she only noticed that she was crying when Shikamaru's hand brushed her cheek and wiped the tears aside.

"What is it? Why are you crying?" His tone was worried. He shouldn't worry about that.

"It's too much," she sniffed. "I wanted to talk to you and instead of doing that, I'm lying here and don't want it to stop. I'm such a hypocrite. I didn't want to throw myself at you, I wanted to take things slowly."

He brushed a few strands of hair back from her face and frowned at her. She knew it was working in his head. He thought about how he could comfort her.

"Temari, we have all the time in the world. And we just do what feels right." His thumb brushed her chin lightly. She almost sighed because it felt so good.

"But we need to talk," she urged. "About how this is all going to go on. Breaking up with you was the stupidest decision of my life and I deeply regret it. I would just like to undo everything. Shake my past self and beat a little mind into it."

She hadn't noticed how her voice got louder at the end. It was only when he winced that she noticed how she had almost fallen into screaming.

"So you're mad at yourself. And disappointed in you. Did I get that right?"

"Yes."

"Would it help you if I told you how counterproductive this is? Self-hatred won't help you. You focus too much on feeling bad instead of seeing what helps you to get better. What would help you? "

"To know that we still have a chance," she whispered and was amazed at how easily these words came off her lips.

He frowned again. "Did you doubt that?" She nodded briefly to him. "You don't have to worry about that," he promised her. His hand searched for hers. He squeezed it briefly. "I said I want to forgive you."

"Shikamaru?"

"Yes?"

"Can we stay here a while longer?"

Instead of answering, he breathed a kiss on her hand.

* * *

Since Temari could not stay away from Suna forever, he said goodbye to her a few days later at the Konoha gate. They had talked a lot the last few days. More than ever before.

They had also spent a lot of time together in the meadow. Often just snuggled together to reassure each other that everything was going well. They had no longer spent their meals together in silence, they had even joked with each other. Sometimes they just sat there with their hands clasped together. It was strange, odd and most of all it still hurt, but it was the right way. Because being without Temari was no longer an option for him.

Since a meeting of the Shinobi Alliance was due, Temari was accompanied by Sai. Shikamaru had not yet received approval from Sakura to move more than a few hours a day and certainly not to go to the Land of Iron. Meetings in the Alliance continued without him or her, but they both felt equally responsible for causing uncertainty.

He waited until she disappeared from his field of vision and followed the street to the Hokage Tower. Shikamaru finally wanted to go back to work and he could do that from home if necessary.

The eyes of all the ambassadors were curiously on Temari as she stepped forward on the first day of the meeting. She had long thought about how she would apologize. By her actions, she had ruined almost everything she had built with Shikamaru and everyone else. There were really no words for how sorry she was. But she had to try to verbalize it.

She was ready.

"I'm very happy to see you all again," she began. "I know what mistakes I made and I am ready to take responsibility for them." She took a deep breath. "The engagement that made me give up my life as kunoichi has been dissolved and I will continue to work for the Shinobi Alliance. Unless you have concerns about my credibility. So today I want you to decide how it will go on."

Some of her colleagues raised their eyebrows at the words.

"The debate is not about whether Shikamaru will continue to work as a representative of Konohagakure. You know as well as I do that his dream is to create peace in the world. To ensure that everyone can freely choose which life to lead. Whether as a shinobi or as a civilian. Shikamaru is not to blame for the decisions I have made. Therefore, I would like to ask you to be absolutely honest. You are welcome to ask me questions. "

As expected, Chojuro spoke first. "Is the engagement finally off the table? Can we assume that the same thing won't happen again?"

"Of course," Karui interjected. "Otherwise she wouldn't say that."

"She's already let us down once," agreed Aneko. "That doesn't exactly make them believable."

"Just because she made a mistake once, is everything she did before void?"

Temari was grateful for Shibuki's objection. She had expected a wild discussion. It wasn't an easy subject. Mainly because it concerned her. But to hear encouragement from the ranks of the ambassadors did her good.

"Konoha continues to have full trust," Sai said. "We have been working closely with Suna for a long time and see no reason why Temari's work in the Shinobi Alliance would suffer. So far she has always done her duties excellently."

"I think this discussion is unnecessary as long as Shikamaru is not there," said Omoi. "Even if we want to continue working with Temari, what about him? After all, he's also personally affected."

Temari knew exactly what Omoi was referring to. After their separation, Shikamaru handed over control of the Alliance to him and Chojuro. Until another solution was found. She opened the laptop she had brought with her.

"You can ask Shikamaru directly."

Shikamaru had thought about how he could attend the meeting in the Land of Iron despite his physical absence. He didn’t have to attend the meetings, he wasn’t fit enough for that. But he wanted to be present when Temari hand off to the other members the decision as to whether she was still trustworthy enough.

He himself had no doubts.

Temari had always done her job to the fullest satisfaction. Like him, she breathed the spirit of the Shinobi Alliance. She shared his dream for a peaceful world. So she had to continue to be the Suna's representative. And for that he was ready to throw everything on the scale. Not only did he hope for understanding, but he was counting on their trust in his assessment as he brought in his discussion points in the video conference.

Temari had always made sure that everyone was put into the equation. She would never betray the Alliance. At least the sympathies were on his side.

"So you have no problem working with Temari?" Omoi wanted to know again.

"No. We can separate personal and work. Or haven't we been proving that all last year?"

"You were in a relationship there, too," said Chojuro thoughtfully.

Shikamaru sighed.

Of course Chojuro was right. They had been friends long before their relationship, however, and it had never got in their way. He wanted to elaborate on this when Karui dashed forward.

"Damn it, Chojuro. Don't you see that he is ready to forgive Temari? Do you have to torment not only her, but him too?" She got up and hit the table. "You could also put me in the crossfire because I'm with a shinobi from Konoha. But you don't. So why is it even a matter of what Temari and Shikamaru's relationship looks like?"

Omoi tried to calm Karui down when Shibuki suddenly started laughing. He laughed all over his body and was shaking. Nobody knew why the shinobi from Takigakure was so amused. Finally he had his laughing fit under control and wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.

"As a new member, I see it this way: The Shinobi Alliance works. You are arguing about whether Shikamaru's and Temari's feelings are hurt because they broke up and whether they can continue to work together. Would you have ever thought that something like this was yours discussions would be about? "

Shikamaru found this turn of the conversation at least as amusing. He was glad that Takigakure was a member of the Alliance. In Shibuki they had found a good ally.

"We should finally vote whether Temari should continue to represent Sunagakure at the Shinobi Alliance. If you are in favour, raise your hand," said Sai.

All hands went up without exception. Shikamaru couldn't see Temari's face, but he was sure she was touched and relieved.

"If there is nothing more then, I would say goodbye to you," said Shikamaru.

He was accompanied by wishes for his well-being and farewells, but none of that counted for him. What mattered was the gentle smile on Temari's face as she ended the video conference.

The smile that made him fall in love with her in the first place.

* * *

The sand in Suna penetrated her clothing through every pore as she walked through the desert. After the rather mild climate in Konoha and the snow in Tetsu no Kuni it was unusual to feel the heat on the skin.

She also knew why she felt so uncomfortable. In front of her, after all the conversations and apologies of the last few weeks, there was another conversation that she had deliberately delayed.

Since she had decided to marry Kana, he had hardly exchanged a word with her. He might have rushed to save her, but after he knew she was safe, he dodged her. Temari hadn't been in Suna most of the time, she had to say in her defence. Still, it weighed on her soul that Kankuro didn't speak to her. She wanted to sort it out.

When she unlocked the door, she called out, "I'm home!" and waited for a response.

Gaara's head peeked out from the kitchen.

"Hey Temari. Just in time. Dinner will be ready soon."

She put her things aside and, curious about the scents, went into the kitchen. In addition to salted tongue, one of Gaara's favourite foods, there was tempura.

"May I help you?" she asked and walked to the tap to wash her hands.

"No. You can keep Kankuro company."

Gaara didn't look at her when he uttered these words, but she knew what he implied: _Talk to him or I'll make you do it._

"Have I missed something, Gaara?"

"Everything is fine here, as always. A letter has come for you from Kana."

"Oh thank you." He turned off the stove and turned around.

"Did you clear up everything?"

"Yes," she replied. "I talked to Shikamaru and I will continue to work for the Shinobi Alliance."

Her brother nodded. "Are you feeling better?"

"Don't worry. It'll take a while, but then you'll have your old sister back." He smiled briefly at her.

"You should speak to Kankuro urgently," he said worriedly. "It burdens him as much as you do that you no longer talk to each other."

She pulled Gaara into her arms and prepared herself for whatever Kankuro had on his mind.

He was sitting on the sofa, looking grimly at the television. There was a bottle of beer on the table. Kankuro looked briefly in her direction, but turned away again. Temari knew exactly why he was doing this. He was deeply disappointed in her; hurt, sad, angry.

"Hey, Kankuro. Nice to see you."

"Oh really?" it came snappily from him.

"We need to talk, Kankuro."

Now he finally looked at her and his face spoke a thousand volumes. He was angry; really angry. All of his facial muscles were tense. His mouth was pressed tightly together. His jaw was prominent.

"So now you want to talk after you've done so much crap? You nearly got us into an international crisis. Konoha almost lost its best strategist because you had to do your own thing. Instead of just trusting us to find a solution, you've thrown all our efforts overboard. "

His voice grew louder with every word and was accompanied by a growl that made her hair stand up all over her body.

He had every right to yell at her. Because he was hurt too. Not only had she not trusted him, she had lied to him just as she had lied to Shikamaru. Then she'd been kidnapped and he'd probably been incredibly worried for days. She could see all of that in his facial expressions.

"We were running out of time," she said quietly.

That was probably the final straw. He jumped up and suddenly stood in front of her, his face only a few inches away.

"I was ready to do anything to make you happy, Temari. Everything," he hissed. "Gaara and I had several plans with Baki to get you out of there. Including a variant of faking your death and moving you to another village far away under a new name. We always thought, however, that at some point you would just let your heart win over your brain and marry Shikamaru. " He snorted, "Kami, I was ready to fight every single council member so that you can move to Konoha and have your perfect life there. A life with someone who loves you as only as we do. And you throw it away because you mean Suna to owe anything. You owe nothing at all to this damn village. Our childhood was so shitty that we deserved compensation for that alone. "

She unconsciously backed away and covered her mouth with her hand. There was nothing she could do about the tears. His eyes were twisted in pain.

"I'm so sorry, Kankuro. I never wanted to hurt you so much. I just saw no other way out. Everything we built was on the brink. I didn't want to destroy everything."

She sobbed now completely overwhelmed by all the emotions that were in the room. It hurt so much to see the consequences of her actions.

"I hope you have learned your lesson." Kankuro pulled her into his arms and held her while she clung to him. His hand patted her back to calm her down. "Never do that again. Talk to us, Tem," he whispered into her hair. "You are not alone. We are always there for you. I was so terrified. When I noticed that you had been kidnapped in front of my eyes, all these images were back from when we almost lost Gaara. I don't want to be scared all the time. "

She awkwardly wiped the tears from her face and sniffed. "Is everything all right again between us?"

"Only when you answer a question," he replied. She squirmed out of his arms and nodded to him. "Did you clear that up with Shikamaru?"

"We talked."

"And?"

"He wants to forgive me. It will be a long time before we can act with each other at ease again, but I think we are on the right track."

He let out a relieved breath. "That's good. Because I won't let him yell at me again. The guy is creepy when he's angry."

"He yelled at you?"

"The meal is ready," said Gaara, who had appeared behind them.

"I'll tell you about it while we eat." Temari kissed Kankuro on the cheek. "I love you," she said.

Their brothers' faces both turned red.

* * *

"You can go back to work," announced Sakura when she finished the investigation.

"Working for real?" he asked, uncertain.

Two weeks ago she had allowed him to resume his training and even if it had been difficult at the beginning, he was now able to do a passable Kagemane no Jutsu again. Ino and Choji had been all too willing to help him with his training. Ino in particular seemed to have a thieving pleasure in testing his limits. She probably wanted to get back at him for everything he'd ever done to her during training.

"Listen to your body. If it gets too strenuous for you, take a break," she explained and wrote something in his file.

"So I can go to Kirigakure next week to prepare for the Chunin exams?" Sakura laughed.

"You're as bad as me when it comes to work. Yes, you can go to Kiri." Shikamaru jumped off the treatment table and hugged Sakura tightly. "Thank you, Sakura."

She seemed completely taken by surprise by his outburst of emotion. Irritated, she brushed her hair back from her face. So that she didn't completely lose her composure, he let go of her again.

"That's not the only reason you're doing so well, is it?"

"Temari comes over today."

"So everything is all right between you guys?"

"We've talked a lot on the phone and written to each other over the past few weeks."

"It's good to see you're getting better."

Their conversation was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Sakura invited the visitor in. It was Sasuke who stuck his head in.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. I'll be done right away." She turned back to him. "Greet Temari for me. I'm taking a break now." With that she walked happily hopping towards Sasuke, who was standing around taciturn as always.

He nodded to Shikamaru and pulled the corner of his mouth into a smile as Sakura reached out for his hand.

Shikamaru was sure he had never seen him smile before.

As usual, Shikamaru was waiting at the Konoha gate when Temari arrived. She had Matsuri in tow. Shikamaru was curious what that meant.

"Hey Shikamaru. Do you always pick up Temari when she comes to Konoha?" He knew exactly what she was referring to because he could see her grin.

"That's his job," said Temari, rolling her eyes. But she couldn't hide her smile.

"You are definitely hungry. I invite you and then bring you to your accommodation."

"As if Temari isn't staying with you," Matsuri remarked and started moving before either of them could react.

While Shikamaru's mouth was open, Temari shrugged.

"Once she's in charge of the Chunin exams, she won't be in such a good mood any longer."

At these words he listened.

"That means you won't come to Kirigakure with me?"

"Unfortunately no," she said sadly. "I have to go to Iwagakure. Kurotsuchi wants to talk to me. I suspect it is about Morio."

He made a grumpy sound. Shikamaru had been looking forward to Kirigakure just because he could then spend three weeks with her. Now their time was a lot shorter than expected.

"Don't pull that face now, crybaby." She gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Let's catch up with Matsuri or she'll run into Naruto and that's the last thing you want."

In the evening when she finally got rid of Matsuri and she wished her a lot of fun with a wink, she closed the door to Shikamaru's apartment and leaned against it with her back. She sighed in relief when Arashi stroked her legs. She bent down to scratch the cat behind the ears, as he liked best. He gave a quick meow and ran back to the apartment at a rapid pace.

The door to the garden was open. She stepped out on the porch and found Shikamaru sitting there over a mountain of files. His face was screwed up with concentration. She sat down a little apart from him and pulled out one of the files. The documents were more than known to her.

Safety precautions, lists of available Chunin and Jounin, further lists with the names and abilities of the Genin, an infinite number of contracts and agreements between the villages, all papers for the exams. It was a never-ending mess of paper and she knew most of it by heart.

Shikamaru said nothing when she started reading through the lists of the Chunin and making notes for herself.

They had developed their own routine for years. He hated nothing more than working his way through lists while she wasn't into all the contracts. For a long time they did not speak and only the scratching of their pens on the paper could be heard.

"Is Chojuro actually planning to do something, or is he offloading his work to us?" she wanted to know. She had noticed that they not only had the lists of Konoha and Suna, but also of Kiri, Kumo, Iwa, Ame, Taki and Kusa.

"I have requested the lists so that we know how many Chunin and Jounin we have in total, theoretically. It is enough if you take care of Suna."

She made an amused sound. "I've been done with that for a long time. I've been sitting on the list of you tree-huggers for ages."

Shikamaru gave a short laugh. His face was pulled into a grin.

"You are exceeding your authority, Sand Princess."

"How did you call me?"

"So I should accept if you call us tree huggers?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well you are," she said challengingly. She saw how he put the papers aside and leaned over to her.

"You definitely deserve a punishment for that."

Something tingled in her stomach area when his tone suddenly turned serious and his voice turned a darker colour.

What happened then came as a complete surprise. He lunged at her and started tickling her sides. He knew how sensitive she was and immediately she started laughing and screeching when he attacked her.

She didn't let him win without a fight, but grabbed his shoulders and rolled him onto his back with a swing. As soon as she was on top of him, he stopped and looked at her as if he had never seen her before. His hand found her cheek on its own and stroked it.

"Are you giving up?" His answer was his lips that gently touched her mouth. Just for a second. But more than she had hoped for a few weeks ago.

Ashamed, she climbed off his lap.

"We should keep working." She cleared her throat.

"You're right," he agreed.

They worked late into the evening and, as before, went to sleep separately. When her head touched the pillow she was already asleep.

In the night she woke up because of his screams.

Shikamaru didn't know what he had dreamed, but it was one of those dreams that left him sweaty, screaming and completely confused. He had just freed himself from his blanket, which had wrapped around him in his sleep, when his door was thrown open and Temari stumbled in with her fan open. She turned on the light and looked for the potential threat, but when she saw none, she dropped the fan and ran towards him.

He found himself in a tight hug that calmed his heartbeat and made the tremors, an aftershock of his dream, subside. She whispered reassuring words in his ear and rocked him back and forth. At some point the pressure on his chest eased and he could breathe again.

He knew she understood. She herself had woken up beside him often enough because she had dreamed of her failures. Of the dead shinobi that fell in the war. The nights as a child when Shukaku took over in Gaara and left her fearful under the covers.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. He nodded on her shoulder. Even if he didn't want to let go of her, she broke away from him. Her green-blue eyes rested on him. "Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want some tea?"

"No. It's fine, Tem." She rested her hand on his cheek.

“Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Would you stay with me tonight?" When she raised an eyebrow, he added, "I can sleep better with you lying next to me."

"I'll just close the door and turn off the light."

Shikamaru would have just been happy to have her lying next to him, but when she got into bed, she hugged him from behind and put her arm protectively over him.

He absorbed her scent like a drug.

"I'll take care of you. So sleep," were the last words he heard.

* * *

"I'm leaving for Kirigakure tomorrow."

Temari hadn't heard him approaching while she sat on the porch and just listened to the rustle of leaves. Otherwise you could notice his slow, slightly bored walk pretty easily. She had just been too distracted from her thoughts.

"Temari?" She shook her head and looked at him. He had leaned against one of the pillars. The hands in the pockets. Temari tried to lift the corners of her mouth up. She didn't succeed. "Something is bothering you. Talk to me."

You couldn't fool him. Not even when she hadn't told him that she was going to marry Kana had he fallen for her tricks. She had broken his heart because he believed she didn't love him and would blame him for not protecting her. She had only done this to protect him.

He'd done so much for her in the past year. Sacrificed himself and found time for her even when he was so busy. He was sensitive and sincere; got involved with her with his heart and soul. Shikamaru had looked behind her facade and brought out a side in her that she didn't think she had.

When she didn't answer, he sat down next to her and dangled his legs from the porch.

Once again he was playing with his sensei's lighter. She knew it calmed him, even if it drove her mad. At least he didn't smoke. She knew that every now and then he would take up a cigarette. Mostly in situations in which he suffered from high stress. The night Morio attacked her, she smelled it the next morning. According to Ino's statement, he also smoked continuously on the way to her rescue. If there was one thing Temari hated, it was this unhealthy quirk.

Otherwise there was nothing that really bothered her about Shikamaru. He may have been lazy, but his quick wits made up for it. When he was needed, he was there. She didn't know if she deserved it. He had welcomed her with open arms when she returned to him. Had no grudges, but sympathy. She gripped her upper arms tightly. The silence between them grew overwhelming.

"Why do you forgive me?" she finally asked.

"Shouldn't I?" he countered her question casually.

"I'm grateful to you for that. Very grateful." She took a deep breath. "Only I can't forgive myself. I behaved unfairly towards everyone and I hurt them. Especially you." She watched him pull up one leg out of the corner of her eye.

"I realised one thing when we were apart." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice. "No matter how hard I've tried, I can't stop loving you. Even if you tear my heart out."

She turned her face to him now. He had rested his head on one hand that rested on his knee. His face was relaxed.

"For almost two months I convinced myself that I could live without you. Find another woman. Someday I'll forget you. We might even be able to be friends again. Then your brothers were here and I found out that you were at least as heartbroken like me. " A slight laugh escaped him. "Suddenly I realized that you had lied to me. You wanted to save Suna. Protect your brothers. You sacrificed me for this."

She bit her lower lip and looked away. She felt like crying again; and if she'd done one thing enough over the past few months, it was crying. He got up and stood in front of her. A finger gently lifted her chin up. He revealed everything to her. His eyes showed not only the pain she had caused, but so much love and understanding.

"That's why I've forgiven you, because I can't help it. It tears me more not to be with you than to swallow all the pain that has already arisen. I know that you feel the same way. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

Instead of giving her the chance to answer, he bridged the last bit of distance and kissed her. Temari felt her heart stop for a moment. She missed his kisses; his closeness; his scent. How good it could feel between them. All alone her hand found itself on the back of his neck and pulled him closer. If she didn't needed to breathe, she would never have let go of his lips again.

He grabbed hers with his hand and put an object in there. To her regret, he took a step back. She turned her attention to what he had given her. The box was small; tiny. She had seen this one months ago. Her hand trembled as the top part fell back. It contained a pale gold ring bedded on white satin. The little stone in the socket was the colour of her eyes.

"Shikamaru," she breathed.

"You don't have to answer me now, Temari," he said, picking up on her tone. He crouched down in front of her and took her hand. "I don't want to take you by surprise or force you to make a decision. Only a relationship is no longer enough for me. I want commitment. Give you my name and have children with you. Sit on the porch with you and watch the sunset. Hold and protect you in your sleep. Grow old with you and discover together what life has to offer. In short: I want to take you as my wife. No ifs or buts. "

She squeezed his hand and nodded with a heavy lump in her throat. His words had dazed her. Taken the last bit of self-control from her. It would only be a few more seconds and she would cry. Shikamaru raised her hand and kissed it. That was the moment when the dam broke.

She lunged at him and pressed her mouth firmly to his. Her face was swimming in tears, but she didn't break the kiss. She noticed how he returned her outburst just as passionately and held her close.

"I love you," she spoke to his lips. "I love you, Shikamaru."

He took her by the waist and got up. Still intertwined with her, he searched for hold on the porch. Her hands reached for his shirt. She had to feel him completely. The space between them was still too much. Apparently he understood her intention or wanted more himself, because his mouth began to kiss her down the neck. She didn't know when she'd last felt so alive; so desired, so loved, so safe.

"Let's move this to the bedroom," she heard herself say.

He paused for a moment as if he wanted to ask a question, but made up his mind and grabbed her waist to throw her over his shoulder. Startled by so much audacity, she pulled his hair. His hand tickled her knee and she winced at it. She threatened to fall, but there were his shadows holding her.

"Let me down!"

She would never admit how she liked what he was doing to her.

He just hopped up the porch, however, his hand possessively on her bum.

"Too late. I've taken command."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all grin like idiots now and understand why this is my favourite chapter ^^


	30. The Only Answer

Shikamaru threw his head back briefly to memorize her sleeping face. Temari looked completely relaxed and as if a smile would jump on her face at any moment. He let the memories of last night linger and got lost in them.

She was so incredibly beautiful when she let herself go completely and forgot the world around her. Her eyes took on such an intense expression. Then he knew there was just the two of them and nothing else, no fears or worries.

They hadn't spoken a word to each other, but let their bodies speak.

Every touch had a meaning, every kiss a proof of their love and when they finally lay there tightly embraced, the certainty that this lasted between them, it was as if they had never been apart.

He didn't want to leave her behind again. Separate from her. He wanted to lie next to her, hold her, stroke her hair. Take in her scent. Hear how she breathed. Listen to her heart beating in synch with his.

She was the love of his life and he wasn't going to let her go again.

* * *

She hadn't expected that he would still be there when she woke up.

She had woken up with the scent of his nose, only to find that she had laid on his side in her sleep. She took another deep breath and finally propped herself up in her arms. Her eyes immediately fell on the box with the ring. She sat cross-legged and reached for it.

When she opened it this time, there wasn't just the ring inside, but a folded piece of paper. She opened it curiously.

_I did not want to wake you._

_I'll be back in three weeks._

_I love you,_

_-Shikamaru_

She couldn't possibly spend three weeks in Konoha waiting for him. First of all, she soon had to go to Iwagakure and see what Kurotsuchi wanted from her. Then Gaara urgently needed her in Suna. There were so many things to take care of.

Especially if she accepted Shikamaru's proposal.

While she looked at the ring and even pulled it on her finger, she thought about the consequences of a wedding with Shikamaru.

She would move to Konoha. There was nothing to discuss about this. Shikamaru was needed more urgently in Konoha than she was in Suna. Without him, Naruto couldn't be the Hokage Konohagakure and the world needed. Then there was his clan - and hers if they got married - who relied on Shikamaru. But the most important reason was almost four years old and was called Mirai. She didn't want to deprive him of the opportunity to become her sensei and see how she grew up.

Surely she could attend the meetings in Tetsu no Kuni for a while as the representative for Suna, but after that she would finally hand over the reins to Matsuri. He would agree they held the wedding ceremony in Suna. She wanted to feel the scorching heat on her skin and marry in a sinfully, tight dress to keep with the traditions of her homeland. The likelihood that it would rain in Konoha on her wedding day was too great for her.

Grinning, she put the ring back in the box.

 _You seem to know exactly what you want_ , she thought, amused.

* * *

Kirigakure was really depressing. Not only did the fog depress the mood, but the people ran through the streets with faces as if they had been given lemons to eat and their dogs had been kicked.

He walked in silence with Matsuri in tow beside Chojuro, who took him to his accommodation. The other envoy of the Shinobi Alliance had arrived earlier. Not everyone would stay as long as Shikamaru. He was looking forward to the new ambassador from Iwagakure.

"Has that been resolved between you and Temari?" Chojuro wanted to know when he opened the door to the conference room. "Because I don't want to lose you both in the Alliance because you can't get your private problems under control."

"Don't worry, Chojuro," he replied.

"I didn't do that the last time either and it meant that almost everything broke down."

"Stick your nose into your own business, Chojuro," Karui reprimanded him from the side and pulled Omoi after her.

"I'm worried about the Shinobi Alliance," he replied. "Is it wrong that I want to ensure stability?"

"Temari and Shikamaru get along well," Matsuri intervened. "After all, she stayed with him."

Immediately everyone's attention turned to Shikamaru. He cursed Matsuri for her inability to remain silent and put a hand to his neck. He hadn't imagined it that way.

Karui was the first to find words again: "Are you together again?"

"Oh man," Omoi muttered. "Let's go, Chojuro, Matsuri. We can prepare everything so that Karui can question Shikamaru in peace."

* * *

Kurotsuchi did not keep her waiting long and asked her to come to her office. Temari had taken the direct route to Iwa and would be passing home on the way back. She had informed Gaara beforehand that not only did she need a meeting with the council, but that Kana also needed to be present. After the whole debacle with the arranged wedding and the rebel group, his father had voluntarily vacated the place and handed everything over to his son.

This time she would make it absolutely clear that she, and she alone, determined what her future looked like. Nobody else would ever decide over her future again.

Kurotsuchi got up immediately and knelt in front of her. She put her forehead on the floor.

"I would like to apologize to you on behalf of Iwagakure. It was only through my negligent work that you would be kidnapped. I hope that you, as Suna's representative, will accept my apology." She raised her head. "I'll also apologize to Konoha and Shikamaru. I'm so sorry."

"Get up, Kurotsuchi. You are the Tsuchikage. This is not appropriate for your position." Temari held out her hand. "I accept your apology."

Kurotsuchi let out a relieved breath and let herself be helped up. When the two women sat down again, Temari hoped to find out the other reasons why she should come to Iwagakure.

"I invited you here today because I still have to do some research into the rebel group around Morio." Temari nodded. "We found the origin of the group in Iwa. As with Gengo in the Land of Silence before, some ninja had gathered to overthrow the old system and establish a new one. The beginning should be made with not only the kage , but also the daimyo of the Land of Earth and Wind should be killed and replaced. "

Here the Tsuchikage smiled. "Obviously you were chosen as a target because you are not only the sister of the Kazekage, but also an important member of the Shinobi Alliance. So that Iwa is not immediately suspected, they had tried to distract us with the Nukenin in Kirigakure and the failed Chunin exams. "

"So you're telling me it's all related with each other?"

Kurotsuchi nodded slowly. "By focusing on helping Kiri, we should be distracted from what is happening right under our noses. The fact that you did not let us know from the start what the Wind Daimyo was planning almost destroyed everything we had set up. "

"I know I was wrong to say nothing, Kurotsuchi. I would like to apologize for that. I couldn't have known that there was more to it."

The Tsuchikage raised her hand. "Don't worry, Temari." She clapped her hands together. "But enough business talk for that, there's still time. We haven't just talked to each other for a long time. So tell us. How are things between you and Shikamaru?"

* * *

Calling Shinobi curious couldn't grasp their love for gossip. Shikamaru became acquainted with the rumour mill in Konoha early on. Since he had worked in the Hokage Tower, he had heard so many stories about people he had not known before that when he met them he could no longer look them in the eye.

Karui and Matsuri were definitely among those who not only liked to hear such stories, but also analysed, embellished and disseminated them.

They had made very good progress in preparing for the exams and had therefore left earlier than usual. Shikamaru wasn't surprised how well Temari had incorporated her representative into the subject. Matsuri had immediately rushed to Chojuro's side and took so much that the rest of them had to slow her down.

With the same enthusiasm she asked questions about the relationship between Temari and him when they sat together in the bar to enjoy the evening after work.

"Are you together again?"

"Now leave him alone," Aneko interjected. "You are such a gossip."

"I'm friends with Temari," countered Karui.

"But that doesn't give you the right to constantly interfere in the private life of others. Imagine what happens if Shikamaru leaves Temari because of your questions? How would you feel then? There could be a war between Suna and Konoha ...", Omoi began to babble suddenly.

Since they were all familiar with such monologues by Omoi, they did not elaborate on them.

Shikamaru took the opportunity and went to get new drinks. Karui accompanied him.

"I'm sorry for bothering you so much. I just want the best for both of you. I saw how much Temari suffered when you didn't wake up. She was completely down."

"I know," he said softly. "Will you promise to hold tight if I tell you something now?"

"For sure."

He leaned close to her ear.

"I asked Temari to be my wife," he whispered.

"Did she say yes?"

"I'll get the answer when I'm back in Konoha."

"She would be stupid not to accept it."

* * *

Kankuro and Gaara didn't seem that surprised when she put the jewellery box with the ring on the dining table. Her brothers glanced at each other before Gaara finally spoke.

"So that's why I should call a meeting."

"Is that all you have to say about it?"

Kankuro was visibly nervous. Temari saw how he twitched his finger as if he were operating one of his puppets.

"Well, we all thought that at some point you would marry Shikamaru ..."

"You knew about it." Shikamaru didn't do things half-hearted, of course. He had obtained the consent of her family in advance because that was how it was done. She could have guessed.

"You're not mad, are you Tem?" Kankuro asked and raised his arms in front of his face to be on the safe side. "I told Gaara and Baki that you would react this way."

"He asked Baki too?" Kankuro nodded.

She had to blink away tears in her eyes because too much emotions caught up with her. 

Two days later the council finally met. Kana actually got there and sat down at the round table. This gave him suspicious murmurs, since the daimyo usually sat separately, surrounded by his advisors. Temari would have loved to sit next to him, but she had her own place where she sat. So she just smiled at him, which he replied broadly.

"I want to open the meeting," said Gaara, getting up. "I give the floor to Temari, who asked for this meeting. It is about important matters concerning Suna and therefore need to be heard and discussed."

Temari spoke immediately. "My engagement to Kana Watanabe has ended," were the first words she spoke.

She had deliberately looked in the direction of Jouseki, who immediately lost all colour from his face.

"But, but. You can't do that!" he brought out. "Suna's stability is endangered!"

"It isn't", Kana interrupted Jouseki's stammering. "The contract that Temari was supposed to be my wife was never signed by the Yondaime Kazekage. Furthermore, my father made all his threats to the council and Sunas under the influence of a genjutsu."

"Is that true?" asked Gouza, looking seriously horrified.

Temari took out a scroll and tossed it to Gouza.

"All reports on current developments can be read here. Iwagakure is still investigating the circumstances that led to Kanas and my abduction."

There was an embarrassed silence, but Temari was far from finished. She would now show the council how she always had been treated.

"This kidnapping and also the whole contract that was supposed to make me the wife of the wind daimyo almost led to an international crisis. No, I even go so far as to say it could have started a war."

Jouseki got up and slapped his hand on the table.

"If Temari-san had just done what the council asked of her, none of this would have happened. Instead, she had to go her own way, as always."

"Temari is not Sunakagure's property," Kankuro said.

"She comes from the Kazekage's family! Marrying someone of low rank is absolutely unacceptable."

"Take it easy, Jouseki," said another council member.

"From now on the council no longer interferes in my life. I decide who I marry and where I live."

"We won't let that happen!" Jouseki was yelling now and had to be held back. As a precaution, Gaara built a wall of sand in front of Temari.

"I want to ask for silence," said Baki's voice. "Has anyone else something to say about this?"

Kana rose. "No matter how Temari decides, I will stand behind her as the wind daimyo. Should the council not approve, I will drastically cut the funds for Suna."

* * *

The time in Kirigakure passed faster than expected and before he knew it, Shikamaru packed his bag to get up the next morning before sunrise and go back to Konoha.

His impatience to see how Temari decided made him unbelievable nervous, but he didn't want to put her under unnecessary pressure. She had last written to him when she was in Iwa and that was two weeks ago. After that she wanted to go to Suna and as soon as she had done her duties there, she would come to Konoha.

A small part of him was seriously worried about coming home and finding the ring with a letter in which she told him that unfortunately they had no future together after all. He quickly shook off that thought. _No._

She had no reason to run away any more. The marriage contract was void. Kana had released her. Only the council in Suna would veto, but after all the things that had happened Temari would not give in to the elders this time.

Sighing, he turned on his side and watched the moon as it wandered across the sky.

In three days he knew. He would hold out that long.

* * *

In Suna she went to the roof of the Kazekage villa to think. Nowhere else did you have such an overview of the village and could lose yourself in the winding streets. Since she was in Konoha, she didn't have that option.

So she sat on the jetty where she and Shikamaru had kissed for the first time and lost in thought.

"It's good to see you again, Temari."

She had been so absorbed in contemplating the water that she was startled by Kurenai's voice. The box with the ring almost fell into the water. She took it in hand and opened it.

_I want to take you to my wife. No ifs and buts._

"So he finally asked you." Temari looked away from the ring and looked at Kurenai, who now sat down next to her.

"You knew about it?" She nodded.

"He's had the ring for months. He actually wanted to ask you around Christmas, but then everything got out of hand."

Naming Kurenai's statement underrated would not have included everything that had happened. She had made sure that everything had to happen that way. Now a gigantic scar adorned his body and the trust between them was gone.

And yet he asked her. Because he wanted more. Their relationship wasn't enough for him.

She should have his name. Accept the duties of his clan. Have their children together. Make herself at home in Konoha. Turn her life upside down.

At least that's what she was ready to give him. She wanted him. But something in her refused.

"He gave me time to think it over."

"Do you have to think about it?"

"No," she said firmly.

Kurenai took the box from her hand and looked at the stone. She smiled melancholy.

"I always imagined Asuma proposing to me. After I announced my pregnancy, I waited for it every day. We may never have had a conventional relationship, but there is a little romance in me too." She laughed. “When Shikamaru brought me his last words, I was devastated. And then I found this ring in his apartment. " She reached out her hand and showed the silver ring that was emblazoned on her hand.

"He never told me that," Temari said quietly. "I knew he was there when Asuma died."

"Shikamaru is someone who looks ahead. He is not resentful or stuck in the past. What counts for him is what the next day has in store. He has grown into a great man."

"Yes," she agreed and took the ring off Kurenai. "I'm not worried about Shikamaru not being serious either. I don't know if I'm ready for this. Can I be a good wife? How can someone like me be a good mother? I've left him before. "

"You are way too hard on yourself, Temari. You too can do something wrong once in a while. It is important to learn from these experiences."

Temari took out the ring and put it on her finger. "I think it would be a mistake to say no."

* * *

He had tried to stay calm while fulfilling the mission in Kirigakure.

Temari should make this decision carefully. She was rightly overwhelmed. The possibility had always been in the room so that they could bypass the contract, but none of them had dared to take the step. No, actually he would have asked her if she hadn't just disappeared like that. Now he was finally nailed with it and she was probably speechless for the first time in her life.

Since it was the middle of the night when he entered his apartment, he did not think to find Temari awake; she was lying on the sofa, thickly wrapped in a blanket. There was some kind of romance film on TV that Temari secretly loved, but only looked when he wasn't there. Arashi watched over her from his cat basket and eyed him suspiciously.

Her hair was loose and wrapped around her face in gentle waves. Her mouth was slightly open and her breath was barely audible. Then something on her hand caught his attention.

Suddenly his heart pounded harder in his chest.

She was wearing the ring.

Shikamaru hadn't intended to wake her up, but now he couldn't resist the urge. He had to know what it meant. He knelt in front of the sofa and shook her shoulder.

"Tem?"

Her eyes opened. She slowly awoke. He could see a smile creeping up on her lips. He loved her smile so much. He liked even more that he was the reason for it.

"Hey. You're back."

He leaned over to kiss her. Her lips felt warm and inviting; like coming home. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer. His eyes closed as they intensified the kiss. Basically he didn't mind either, but first he wanted to know her answer. So he withdrew from her, to which she protested loudly and kissed her on the forehead before sitting cross-legged in front of the sofa and resting his chin on his hand.

"I couldn't wait to get home."

It was no accident that he looked at her hand. She sat up straight and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Her smile stayed.

"Yes."

At first he didn't know what she meant, but then it clicked in his head. He jumped up and grabbed her shoulders.

"You want to marry me?"

"Yes, crybaby."

Now Shikamaru could no longer contain himself. He pulled her up into his arms and spun her around. Startled, she held on, but finally bowed his head to kiss him.

"You make me the happiest man in the world, Tem."

"Kiss me."

He was happy to comply with this request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did some called for fluff? After all of this Temari just had to say 'yes'
> 
> As always hoped you liked this chapter and I'm happy to read your comments :)  
> And thanks to all who are reading this!


	31. Traditions

Shikamaru was so exhausted that he couldn't get his feet up properly.

So he shuffled through the streets in Suna - still filled with life - to finally have a shower, something to eat and then to lie down on the next horizontal surface to sleep.

Less than a week before the wedding, all formalities were finally settled. He had signed and read so many documents, attended three meetings with Suna's council, chewed through the whole process in Konoha beforehand, and finally found an appointment with Temari that satisfied their two home villages. Two days before that, his family and friends would also arrive and turn Sunagakure upside down. He was looking forward to it when the hustle and bustle was finally over.

He was only two streets away from the Kazekage mansion before he could finally take off his shoes. The sand had penetrated into every space and with every step the small grains of sand pierced the skin. All day long a stone poked in his left shoe.

When the door finally came into view, he dug out his key, which Kankuro had given to him with great protest. Shikamaru knew why Kankuro was so on the edge. He would tear Temari out of Suna and take her away from her brothers, uproot and start a new life with her; and not only Kankuro was afraid of that, but he himself.

He had kept all options open to Temari. All she had to do was say one word and they would move to Suna. Even if he himself sacrificed a lot for it, Temari's happiness and satisfaction were paramount. He had promised her that she wouldn't miss anything.

He pushed the door open and Kankuro's deep, piercing laugh touched his ears. Shortly afterwards he heard Temari and Gaara laugh too. It warmed his heart to hear the siblings in an exuberant mood.

He quickly slipped his shoes off his feet and took one of the towels that were ready to remove at least the coarse sand. While he was there, Temari had sneaked up and hugged him from behind.

"Did you already eat something?" she asked as if after giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"No, I was too busy arguing with the florist that Ino would take over his shop in a few days."

Temari laughed, what tickled at his ear. "Then I'll just warm you up a meal."

She wanted to get up, but he held her tight. He wanted to continue to feel their closeness and breathe in her scent. She didn't protest, just stayed where she was: by his side.

She was running her brush through her hair when Shikamaru stepped back into the room.

His hair was loose and water was dripping down from the ends of his hair. His face was tired. She quickly gave him a smile and continued taming her hair.

"By the way, you don't always have to walk through the house fully clothed."

He snorted. "I don't plan to test whether Kankuro will live up to his threat to process me into his new puppet if he sees my bare bum again."

Temari noticed how she turned red.

The first night Shikamaru had stayed here three weeks ago, there had been a rather embarrassing incident. Since they had not seen each other for almost a month, they had loudly jumped at each other in the evening and had forgotten to lock the door.

As a result, not only Gaara, but also Kankuro suddenly stood in the room while Shikamaru had just bent her over the bed.

Shikamaru face has went white, while she tried to cover up their undressed state with a blanket. Gaara had disappeared from the room without a word. Kankuro, on the other hand, seemed to fluctuate between amusement and horror. Nevertheless, he did not miss the opportunity to threaten Shikamaru with various things in direct words.

Temari had finally got up as dignified as possible, threw over the blanket and not only pushed her brother outside, but had a very loud conversation about privacy. When she came back to her room, Shikamaru was still in bed in a state of shock and denied any advances from her for the next few days.

She finished working on her hair and got up to turn off the light. She quickly locked the door and then slipped under the soft sheets of her bed. Shikamaru waited until she was in a comfortable position before he put his arms around her and breathed a gentle kiss on her neck. His arm went around her waist, of course.

He sighed softly as she pressed closer to him.

"Is that all right, Temari?" He muttered.

"What do you mean?" she replied and felt his hand wandered under her shirt.

"That you are moving to Konoha."

His hand went further, to her breast and clasped it. Temari immediately noticed how everything was tingling inside her. His touch always triggered such a reaction in her.

He might be tired, but he was never too tired for _this._

She turned around so she could look at him. His hand now stroked her back. Temari met him for a kiss. His lips felt so good.

"We discussed everything, Shika. You can't leave Konoha and I don't want Mirai to grow up without you."

He started to spread kisses on her neck. "I don't want to take you away from your brothers."

"Kankuro and Gaara can manage without me."

He interrupted his caresses and looked at her. His hand stayed on her cheek. She was so touched that he was still worried.

Temari gently turned him onto his back and climbed on top of him. His hands grasped her hips.

"I love you Tem," he whispered.

“And I love you, too." Then she pulled her shirt over her head and bent down to kiss him. "Now let's stop talking."

* * *

The big day finally came faster than expected and Shikamaru was sure he would die of nervousness. His hands were shaking so much that Ino had to tie his hair up. She had kissed him on the cheek before leaving him and Choji to their own devices to help Temari with the preparations.

Choji was helping him button up his shirt and adjusting his collar.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing Choji?"

His friend looked at him puzzled.

"If you back down now, not only will Temari have you on her death list, but Ino and Yoshino too." He thought for a moment. "And Karui will be on the side of the other women too."

Shikamaru sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with me either. Everything was fine until last night."

Choji picked up the tie and put it around his shirt collar.

"It's normal to be nervous. You just have to promise me that you will give me courage next month when Karui and I get married."

Shikamaru pulled the right corner of his mouth up in a smile.

"Who would have thought that we'd both get married before Ino?"

Choji laughed. "Sai has the toughest job of all of us right now. He's got to keep Ino happy while she's planning our weddings."

Shikamaru joined in the laugh, then the door was opened and Kankuro stuck his head in. He was already fully clothed and had given up his usual face-paint to celebrate the day.

"Your needed downstairs, Choji."

"Can you do the rest by yourself, Shikamaru?"

"Thanks, Choji. I'll be fine."

Choji left the room while Kankuro entered and locked the door.

Shikamaru had suspected that Kankuro would give him a few words before he was allowed to marry Temari. Gaara and Baki had done this a few days ago. Of course, Kankuro would wait until the end. He was closest to Temari. He had always played his sister's protector. It was only logical that he should come to him.

"Obviously you have something to say to me, so don't hold back," Shikamaru encouraged him.

"Temari and you, that was apparent for a long time," began Kankuro. "I watched from the beginning how you treated each other and I knew at some point I would lose her to Konoha." He crossed his arms over his chest. "She is not an easy person and not everyone would be ready to take on her, but you not only managed to make her open up, but even voluntarily turn the back on her home. She is as wild as the wind here in Suna. Nothing gets in her way and that's why I've never seriously tried to boycott your relationship. "

Shikamaru nodded absently. He tried to process the words of his counterpart. He had expected that Kankuro would give him a long speech about how he would make his life hell if he ever hurt Temari.

"I saw it long before she knew she loved you. She doesn't let many people into her life. But she chose you."

He didn't wait until Shikamaru could reply, but opened the door. Before he went out, however, he said a few last words: "One final thing I wil tell you: if you hurt her, you are a dead man."

Shikamaru let out a deep breath. Kankuro couldn't quite get out of his skin.

"So we are done," Ino announced.

Temari looked in the mirror and didn't recognize herself. Her hair lay on her shoulders in light waves. While there was a delicate touch of pink on her lips, Ino had rimmed her eyes with black kohl and gold dust glittered on her eyelids. To match her jewelry - a gold bracelet from her mother with three small emeralds and the teardrop-shaped earrings - Ino had only given the finishing touches.

Karui stood next to her with tears in her eyes and nodded to her.

Temari got up and looked at her complete picture in the mirror. She had insisted on choosing a dress that had a low back that ended just short of her bottom. The dress hugged her figure perfectly and didn't hide much. You could see her skin shimmering through the thin fabric at her waist. The neckline was almost modest compared to the rest of the dress and only exposed the heel of her bosom. The skirt swung wide and fluffed up when she turned. It was a dream made of purple silk.

"Shikamaru will faint," remarked Karui.

"I hope not," Ino chuckled. "I have to take lots of photos. Sakura will be so upset that she missed that."

Temari squeezed Ino's hand.

A few months ago Sakura disappeared with Sasuke and accompanied him on his journey through the world. Ino was very happy for her best friend, but it looked like Sakura wouldn't be able to come to her wedding. So Temari would be there that day. Just as Ino now helped her in everything that was needed.

She would have liked to know how Shikamaru was doing. When they said goodbye this morning, he had been very withdrawn. Ino had assured her that everything was fine. She hoped it was true.

Her eyes fell on the clock. "It's time to go."

* * *

Shikamaru didn't remember much afterwards. Because when Temari stepped through the door in her dress, he was so overwhelmed by her beauty that he could not think clearly. He still remembered how they had held hands while Gaara declared them husband and wife. Behind him, Choji had started to cry and even Kankuro's eyes seemed moist when Shikamaru was allowed to kiss his wife for the first time.

After that Temari had dragged him on the dance floor for hours and beamed at him. She was cheerful and in a good mood while she was stirring up the party with Ino. He had therefore found a quiet corner so that he could rest his feet for a few minutes. Since it was getting late, he wasn't sitting there alone. Mirai had found him unerringly and fell asleep on him after only a few minutes.

Shikamaru had thrown his tie on the table and his jacket was hanging over the chair. It was definitely too warm.

He sipped his water as Naruto sat down on an empty chair. He watched as Hinata was laughing and dancing with Kiba.

"Isn't it strange, Shikamaru?" said Naruto at once. "How our life has changed?"

"Well, I didn't think I'd be sitting at my own wedding nearly four years after the war either." There was something weird about him. Otherwise his friend wasn't so thoughtful. "Are you all right, Naruto?"

He nodded, but still didn't look at Shikamaru, but continued to look at the dancing guests. For whatever reason Gaara was now dancing with Lee. If Mirai hadn't been lying on top of him, he would have got up and grabbed Naruto by the shoulder to look at him.

"You can tell me if you have something on your mind."

"Hinata is pregnant."

Shikamaru had just picked up his glass and almost choked. That explained why Naruto was so thoughtful.

"Didn't you want children?"

Finally Naruto turned to him. "Yes, and I'm happy too. But I'm really scared, Shikamaru."

"What are you afraid of? Not being a good father?"

Naruto smiled at him. "You always know what I'm thinking," he said.

"Whatever happens, you'll be fine. You'll be a great father and your child will love you." He winked at him. "And congratulations Naruto."

* * *

Even after all these months it was still strange not to be woken up in the early morning by the heat of the desert. It was definitely more pleasant than in Suna, but still different. She would surely get used to it at some point.

However, something else was just making life difficult for her.

She had just come back from her last Shinobi Alliance meeting and had been feeling really sick for days. That's why she wasn't at work that morning, but had a hot-water bottle on her stomach and drinking tea so that this constant nausea disappeared. Shikamaru had left her in her eyes with concern, but at least he had gone to work and not called in sick as well.

It was probably just a minor infection. She could still go to the hospital if it didn't get better.

Arashi was lying next to her on the sofa, purring softly. Everything was so much quieter in Konoha. You could hear the leaves of the trees rustling in the wind and sometimes a squirrel scurried by. She looked back at her book and smiled to herself. Her new life might still have many unknowns in store, but she looked forward to it.

Shikamaru stepped out of the Hokage tower and enjoyed the thought of having the next day off. The new year was nearly two months old and he had recently moved into the main house of the Nara clan with Temari. Yoshino had moved to one of his aunts because the first grandchildren would soon be arriving, and more space was needed for that. He hadn't commented on this any further, but accepted that his mother was thinking too far ahead.

Surprisingly, Choji and Karui would lay the foundation for the next Ino-Shika-Cho generation. His best friend had told him and Ino about it the last time they had dinner together. Of course Ino had insisted that Shikamaru and Temari should hurry up to do their part. He had turned her off and advised to mind her own business.

That didn't stop Shikamaru from worrying about whether Temari was ready to take this step. She was still acclimatizing and accepting Konoha as her new home. If he bothered her with the a potential child, she would probably deny him sex until he was an old man.

Amused by the thought, he almost ran into Hinata.

"Sorry, Hinata. I wasn't paying attention to the way."

"You don't have to apologize, Shikamaru-kun."

As fully packed as she was, she seemed to have just done her grocery shopping. Since she was only a few weeks away from the birth of her own child, Shikamaru wondered why Naruto wasn't doing this. So he took the bags from her without asking.

"I'll take you home. You shouldn't be carrying so heavy."

"Thank you Shikamaru-kun, but you don't have to."

When he arrived at the Uzumakis' house, he at least knew why Naruto hadn't gone shopping. He was asleep in the living room.

"I didn't mean to wake him, he just got back from a mission," Hinata apologized for her husband.

"As soon as your child arrives, they will have to learn to get along with less sleep."

He shook Naruto by the shoulder, but Naruto just turned on his other side and mumbled something about Ramen.

Hinata giggled when Shikamaru filled a glass of water. He poured it on Naruto's face. Now the future Hokage and hero of the Fourth Shinobi War was definitely awake. He jumped up screaming and looked around in confusion.

"What was that Shikamaru for?"

"I brought the groceries home for Hinata. You should get used to it. Once you're a father, you can't sleep in the middle of the day."

* * *

She had wanted to fry a mackerel for Shikamaru. She hadn't got far, however, but had unpacked the fish and then threw up in the bathroom, shaking with nausea. Temari didn't know why she reacted so strongly to the smell of the fish, but it wasn't until she had thrown up that she felt better. She got up and stepped back into the living room to try a second time.

Shikamaru was standing in front of her.

"I don't think I have to tell you that it wasn't a good idea to leave the fish lying around while a cat is in the house," he remarked with a smile.

Behind him he pointed to the remains of the former meal.

The smell rose immediately back into her nostrils and the way the fish's eye glared at her did not take long to think about, but she ran immediately back into the bathroom.

This time she made it to the sink and choked out anything that might still be in her stomach.

Shikamaru was on her heels and patted her back.

She slapped his hand away. She didn't want to be touched or comforted. He should save his stupid comments.

"Take your hand away from there or you're a dead man," she growled at him. "Why are you home already? Don't you have better things to do?"

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Give me some slack, woman. I didn't know that I was forbidden to be in my own house."

The desire to kill him grew. She didn't know why she was mad at him. Maybe it was just a stupid idea of her trying to cook fish when she was so bad herself. Now she wanted to cry because she had yelled at him like that.

"I'm going to lie down again," she muttered, bowing her head so he wouldn't see her tears. She just had to get some sleep.

Since Shikamaru had no idea what was going on with Temari, he decided to just let her go and take care of the food himself.

Even in Tetsu no Kuni she had had these constantly mood swings, but he had simply taken it for granted. Temari just had a changeable temperament. She could be the gentlest woman in the world one minute and then get mad the next. Her bad mood was surely due to the fact that she was sick. On the way back she had catched something with her stomach and complained of nausea.

Since the fish could not be saved, he set about cutting vegetables to prepare a soup. That would do Temari well too. After he had lumped everything together and simmered it on a low flame, he snuck into the bedroom to look after Temari.

She slept soundly. She had kicked off the covers. He knelt next to her to cover her properly again, when she opened her eyes. Shikamaru tried to keep his expression neutral because he didn't know how she would react.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I am sorry." She pulled him into a tight hug and pushed the air out of his lungs. Shikamaru was surprised that she apologized so easily to him, but was glad that he got off so lightly this time.

"Are you hungry? I made some soup."

"I still feel sick," she said quietly. "And I'm so tired."

"Wouldn't you like to go to the doctor tomorrow? You haven't been feeling well for two weeks now."

"I think that's a good idea."

"I'll come with you if you want."

However, she did not answer any more, but seemed to have fallen asleep again. Shikamaru was still surprised, but put her gently back in the futon and kissed her on the forehead.

* * *

An overzealous nurse had stabbed her arms to draw her blood and then banished her to the waiting room. There, like this whole damn hospital, it smelled of disinfectant. She was sick and dizzy anyway. Whatever she had caught, not only robbed her of all strength, but also of her self-control.

Last night she had Shikamaru thrown out of the bedroom after an argument she had started. As kind-hearted as he was, he'd accepted it with a shrug. In the middle of the night she woke up and apologized tearfully to him, only to drag him back to her bed and slept with him. She had no idea where her sudden lust came from, as well as her need to cry and then the urge to scream at Shikamaru.

Then she disappeared into the bathroom again and loudly vomited the soup that he had made especially for her.

The poor guy himself was also completely confused and kept a safe distance so that he didn't get her emotions with a full broadside every time. Temari felt completely controlled by a stranger because she couldn't tell how she was doing either.

She was now called back to the treatment room and there Shizune was sitting in front of the computer screen. She asked Temari to sit down and took the blood test results.

"It all looks very good. No abnormalities or illnesses."

"Then where does my nausea come from? And why am I so tired all the time?"

"Oh, this is new to me," Shizune commented with a laugh. "Usually most women know before I do."

Temari had absolutely no idea what she was suggesting. She finally wanted to know what was wrong with her.

"Okay, what's wrong with me?"

Shizune grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"There will be a lot of new things coming your way in the next few months, Temari. We can now set the further appointments today. In addition, you will not do any more missions from now on. That is the standard protocol in your case."

_She would no longer take on missions and changes were imminent? What was this woman talking about? Was she terminally ill? What game was being played here?_

Temari noticed how she panicked.

"Can you tell me what's going on, please?"

Shizune laughed when she saw the look on her face. "You are pregnant, Temari. Congratulations."

She could just hold her hand over her mouth to avoid vomiting on the floor.

* * *

He didn't know why Temari suddenly felt the need to go to the Nara forest. Spring was still a long way off and it was cold and bleak to walk through the bare trees. She hadn't said much when she got back from the hospital, but insisted on staying in the little cabin by the lake. Shikamaru had just packed his bag and let her guide him.

She was now sitting on the jetty wrapped in a blanket while he had made the bed and the food was just waiting to be served. Temari warmed her fingers on her teacup and watched a couple of deer on the other side of the lake. She looked satisfied and completely detached.

When one of the fawns hid behind its mother, a smile crept onto the corner of her mouth. He could have looked at her forever.

"The meal is ready, Tem." She made a sound of approval but didn't move.

"Sit down with me."

Since he could see only too clearly how quickly her mood changed, he did as he was told. They sat quietly for a few minutes. Then Temari put an envelope in his hand.

"What's in there?" he asked.

"Open it."

Shikamaru opened the flap and pulled out some pictures. There were pictures of her, Kankuro and Gaara when they were little. The last photo was of Karura holding Temari in her arms. You could see the short blonde hair on her head.

"You look like your mother," he said, moved.

He didn't know why she had given him the pictures, but apparently she had something to say to him, because she turned her head in his direction and looked for his hand.

"I don't know how often I have missed my mother in the last few years. In many situations I had to do without her and was so often lost," she said. "Soon I will reach an age that my mother was never allowed to experience. She did not see how Gaara Kazekage became, Kankuro used his puppets for the first time or I fell in love with you."

Shikamaru wanted to say something, but he didn't know what. Temari was seldom so serious, and most of all she didn't talk about her mother. That was completely unknown to him.

"I want a better future for my children and, above all, that we are both there. Our child should be showered with love and care. Simply be able to be happy."

Now Shikamaru was getting suspicious. "Did anything happen in the hospital today, Tem?"

She gave a short laugh. "Well, you can say that too."

It was like something cold grabbed his heart. He should have gone with her. The whole time he had believed that everything was fine. But then Temari started talking about her dead mother and talking about her future children. He took her shoulders.

"Temari, please tell me what's going on. I'm really worried now."

"You are going to be a father."

He opened his mouth and closed it again like a fish on land. Shikamaru felt a wave of thoughts and feelings overwhelm him. His brain was definitely shorted because he must have misheard.

"You're pregnant?"

She nodded and grinned. All of a sudden he pulled her into his arms so tight that she gasped in shock.

"We're going to be parents," he said to her ear. Her breath tickled at his neck as she suddenly started to laugh.

"Ino will be so mad," remarked Temari.

"She's been talking about traditions the whole time and how important our obligations as clan leaders are. We only did what she wanted."

They broke apart and looked deeply into each other's eyes.

Shikamaru's hand gently touched Temari's stomach.

You couldn't see or feel anything yet, but somehow he wanted to get in touch with the new life that was growing there. Temari leaned her head on his shoulders and moved up to him.

A hand went over his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the first draft of the story this was the last chapter and then only an epilogue followed. But I decided otherwise and added the two following chapters. (Mostly because I got the news I'm going to be an aunt, when I finished the story back in spring :D )


	32. Blessings

Temari considered simply moving into the bathroom as often as she vomited during the day.

Since she found out about her pregnancy, she seemed even more sick than before and vomited throughout the day. Immediately after her stomach was emptied, she felt better, but now she didn't know what to eat anymore, because every bit didn't stay in her body for too long.

Arashi had once again followed her into the bathroom, moaning and demanding attention. She wanted some rest, however, as her stomach just felt sore and cramped painfully. But the cat didn't care. He wanted to be petted and that today with a penetrance that just annoyed her.

Temari hated being so helpless. So far she didn't think to be the greatest blessing on earth to be pregnant. She wasn't grateful at all.

When she thought of Hinata going through the final weeks of her pregnancy with glowing face and bright eyes and Karui looking like she could hug the world, Temari just wanted to be able to have a meal without feeling like she would have to die afterwards .

She grabbed one of the towels and put it under her head like a pillow. First she would rest. Then she could go on.

That stupid fatigue was just as annoying.

Shikamaru was amused to find Temari sleeping in the bathroom.

He knew how annoyed she was with what the pregnancy was doing to her. She just wanted to carry on as before, but instead her child was already setting the daily routine.

He couldn't put into words how much his heart overflowed with love. Even when Temari's mood changed from one minute to the next, he gladly accepted it. She carried their child under her heart. Shikamaru hadn't quite realized yet that this was really happening. He tried not to let it show how happy he was, since Temari teased him with it, but he knew she felt the same way. Because then when they sat next to each other in the evening and beamed at each other, he knew how much Temari was also taken by the fact that the two of them would soon become a small family.

Since he didn't want to wake her, he sat on the floor and just looked at her.

They didn't want to inaugurate anyone until the critical first weeks were over.

The last three weeks had been difficult for him. He wanted to tell the whole world that he was becoming a father. Instead, he sat with Naruto, who was getting more and more nervous about the impending birth of his child, listened to Choji making plans for his child that would come to see the world a good month before his own and let Ino philosophize about when he and Temari would finally get started .

"I hope you realize how dumb you look when you smile that stupidly," Temari remarked quietly. "I really want to punch you in the face right now."

He tried to suppress a smile and grabbed her ankle to stroke it. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"The baby doesn't like eggs."

"I can't blame him for that. I don't like eggs either."

"Wonderful. The child is coming after you, crybaby, ”she muttered. “The only thing I keep in is dry, unseasoned rice. I hate being pregnant. "

It wasn't the first time she'd said that and if he heard her gagging in the bathroom, he couldn't blame her either. He decided to cheer her up a little.

"I brought you oranges." These words had the desired effect. She looked at him with a small smile and straightened up. So far, oranges were the only food that she kept in without any problems, apart from rice. He waited until she was sitting upright before he moved closer to her and grabbed her hand.

"Do you think you can work tomorrow?" He stroked the back of her hand.

"Let me guess: Kakashi is getting suspicious?"

He already suggested something after Temari was from the mission roster for a uncertain time, but since her pregnancy was a private matter, Kakashi would get to know when they both decided to tell the Hokage. If he didn't already suggested it, after the rest of his friends also started families of their own.

Shikamaru nodded. “Not only he, but everyone in the Hokage Tower is talking. You know how the rumor mill works. "

"Then I'll probably try to show up at work tomorrow."

She leaned in his direction and he cupped her in his arms.

* * *

She actually managed to go to work and to be on the safe side, she put a bin next to the desk in which to throw up. Shikamaru was in a meeting with Kakashi most of the day. So she was alone in the office until noon and could also use this time to take a break in between without being asked questions. Temari was happy to have earned a reputation where she was only disturbed when it was an emergency.

Immersed in her work, she only noticed the visitor when Ino cleared his throat loudly. She looked at the door and raised an eyebrow.

"Can I help you, Ino?"

"We're going out tonight," she announced. "It's been ages since we danced and got drunk."

Basically Temari had nothing against Ino's offer, if it wasn't for the fact that she was pregnant and alcohol was a very, very bad idea during pregnancy.

"Is there any reason?"

"I just have to go out and let go of my frustration."

She looked at Ino skeptically. She would have liked to say yes at any time. After all, Temari knew how much she missed Sakura, who had been travelling for months and rarely sent a message. Ino needed someone to pour her heart out to and she loved doing that with a cocktail in hand. Temari could not participate in the latter this time.

"We can go out to eat," suggested Temari. Ino now crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Since when did you get so boring?" She asked. "Has Shikamaru already rubbed off on you like that?"

Temari tried not to roll her eyes. Of course, she didn't get out of it that easily. She needed a different tactic.

Before she could think of anything, Shikamaru came into the office with a large pile of books in his arms. Ino stepped aside so that he could enter. He took turns looking at the two women and trying to figure out Ino's presence. At least if she got the look on his face right.

She hoped he could help her avoid Ino's invitation when she noticed how dizzy she was.

Those dizzy spells always came completely out of nowhere and if she didn't sit or lay down immediately, she would be on the floor in seconds. Shikamaru threw the books on the next free space according to the background noise, while she tried not to fall off the chair. He was at her side immediately and supported her. Temari took a deep breath.

"Are you okay again?" he asked softly, probably so that Ino wouldn't notice, but it was too late for that.

"I guess congratulations are appropriate," she uttered a bit too bitterly.

Temari heard the door slam shut when Ino stormed out furiously.

"I think you should talk to her."

* * *

Shikamaru found Ino at the playground as she sadly sat on a swing and stared into her lap.

He wasn't sure what was bothering her, but judging by her exaggerated reaction, it had something to do with Temari's pregnancy. It was she who had always insisted that they would soon have children. Long before their relationships, Ino had been so dogged and threatened him and Choji to look out for a wife for them if necessary. He sat on the swing next to her and hoped she would talk to him. Shikamaru didn't like to see her sad.

"I'm so silly and childish," she said finally after an eternity. "Instead of being happy for you, I'm jealous."

He looked over at her. She was obviously fighting back tears.

"You are going to be a mother too, Ino," he said carefully. "Sometimes it takes a little longer."

"Sai and I have been trying for almost a year," she said. "We started when it was our original wedding date."

Shikamaru heard all the pain in her voice and felt guilty. Ino and Sai had postponed their wedding after he returned from the Land of Wind badly wounded. After that, Sai was sent on a Anbu mission for several months. Shortly thereafter, Shikamaru and Choji had set their own wedding dates, which is why Ino had finally married last, even though she had been the first to get engaged.

"I didn't know that," he said softly.

"How should you? I haven't told anyone about it." She now clutched the chains of the swing with her hands. "You were busy arranging everything so Temari could move to Konoha. I didn't mean to bother you with such nonsense."

"Now you really sound silly." She stared at him. "You can tell me everything. And if you don't want to talk to me, then take Temari. She is certainly better suited for this woman's thing than me."

"I miss Sakura," she whispered now.

"I know."

"Why is it sometimes so incredibly troublesome to be an adult?"

Shikamaru made an amused sound. "Welcome to my life," he sighed and made Ino laugh.

"So you're going to be a father," she stated.

"I'm going to be a father."

He let the words roll over his tongue for a long time. It was still so surreal.

In a few months he would be holding his child in his arms and he had never been more scared and at the same time so happy about something.

* * *

Now that Ino had already been inaugurated and Shikamaru had made her promise not to say anything, they decided to just do the thing properly. Since Temari neither had the strength nor the desire to inform each of her friends separately, they invited them to dinner one evening. In addition to his former teammates and their partners, they had also invited Yoshino and Kurenai.

So that no one suspected anything in advance, the pretext for the meal was the inauguration of their house. Which wasn't entirely wrong, because they hadn't officially invited anyone since they moved in. Shikamaru had taken on the job of cooking because Temari still got sick from the smell of every meal. She clung to a glass of orange juice while she sat on the sofa, Arashi purring on her lap.

"You should get ready, Tem," suggested Shikamaru when he finished all the preparations and stepped into the living room.

She had closed her eyes and was trying to get rid of the dizziness. It was an absolute mystery to her why women got pregnant. She had never felt weaker before. Shikamaru really tried to hold back, even though she knew that he liked to make everything as comfortable as possible for her. She appreciated his care, but often enough it annoyed her too.

"In a moment," she muttered.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" She opened one of her eyes and gave him an oblique look.

“Turn back time so that we don't get so infinitely drunk on New Year's Eve?

He grabbed her hand with a smile and she let him be. She felt like crying again.

Temari knew how much it bothered Ino not to be pregnant, how many women wanted exactly what she had. She herself hadn't even consciously planned to have a child and just wanted her body back to herself. She felt ungrateful.

"It will get better," he tried to calm her down.

"Shouldn't I be more happy, Shika?" She leaned forward as she caught another wave of nausea. “Shouldn't I be beaming with joy? Am I not already totally failing as a mother? "

"If you ask me, you have every reason to be in a bad mood." He put an arm around her. "If I vomited all day, couldn't eat anything and experienced a hundred different emotions in a short period of time, I wouldn't be very happy either."

She laughed at his remark.

"The point goes to you, Nara."

* * *

By the time dessert was served, everything seemed to be going as expected. Nobody asked suspicious questions. Shikamaru had noticed that Karui looked at his wife very often, but she said nothing. He couldn't help the smile that hung on his face all evening.

"You cooked wonderfully, Temari," Yoshino praised the food. "You have to tell me how you seasoned the rice."

“Oh, the praise goes to Shikamaru. He took care of the food today, ” Temari said.

"Then I raised you right after all," said his mother.

“Well, mum. I had no choice but to learn to cook after I moved out of home, ” he said embarrassed and put his hand to his neck.

"When I think about how lazy Shikamaru always was," remarked Kurenai.

"Well, Shikamaru may be good at cooking, but he can't keep up with Choji," said Karui.

"Then Sai and I have to invite you to dinner soon," Ino interjected. "I've never eaten such a good steak before."

Immediately a discussion broke out about who could cook better as Temari praised her brothers' cooking skills. While she listened intently as Sai and Choji were talking about the right cooking point of meat, Temari ran a finger over the back of his hand under the table. They had agreed on this sign with each other so that they could watch the time when they could the news to their guests. Shikamaru had been ready for it all evening so he suddenly cleared his throat, unsure of what to say.

"I want to thank you all for coming."

"Anytime, Shikamaru," said Choji. "I can never say no to a meal."

Then everyone laughed. Shikamaru swallowed. He had to say it now, otherwise he would lose his courage again.

"We would like to tell you something else," Temari jumped helpfully to the side.

"In September we're a Shika-Cho combination," added Shikamaru.

All faces immediately turned to the parents-to-be.

Congratulations echoed through the room in a jumble of voices, and the loudest Choji asked for them to clink glasses. Yoshino burst into tears and was provided with a napkin by Ino so she could blow her nose. Karui jumped up and hugged Temari tightly, most of all she was happy to be pregnant with her at the same time. Even Sai was genuinely pleased and patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

But what he was most pleased about was Kurenai's reaction.

"Mirai will be happy to be a big sister."

* * *

When they had their house to themselves again, she was leaning against Shikamaru in their bathtub and felt completely relaxed. The warmth was just good for her. She could have drifted forever in the water.

Shikamaru had wrapped his arms around her and distributed small kisses on her neck and shoulders. She loved the tenderness he gave her. Before, it would never have crossed her mind to appreciate things as simple as sharing a bath.

"What do you actually wish for? A boy or a girl?" His lips went behind her ear.

"I used to want a girl first and then a boy. But now I don't care as long as our child gets your eyes."

She wandered under the water with her hand and stroked Shikamaru's leg. Temari heard how he made an approving sound and his own hands began to wander over her body. Moments like this had been neglected recently because she hadn't felt well. He had shown so much understanding and made her feel like a princess. Now that the hot water was around her and she didn't feel everything was turning, she was open to more intimacy.

"Let's move this somewhere else," she suggested as he slowly ran his hands between her legs.

Instead of answering, he kept nibbling down her neck.

"In a moment," he said. "First of all, I have another plan."

His hands showed her exactly what he meant shortly afterwards.

* * *

"Did you actually agree upon that all of you would have children at the same time?" asked Kiba, who had just arrived at the hospital and stopped Akamaru to lie down. "First Hinata, soon Karui and Temari. I wouldn't be surprised if Sakura and Sasuke come back with a child too. Even Lee is going to be a father! Wouldn't you like to tell us something, Sai?"

The person addressed looked at him briefly and then shook his head.

"We made bets," Shikamaru remarked with a yawn, which made Choji snort off beside him.

Naruto's child had decided to be born in the middle of the night and so only a handful of his friends sat with him in the waiting room.

Besides Kiba and Choji, Shino and Sai were also present. Lee was currently on a mission outside the village, Sakura and Sasuke had not been to Konoha for months anyway and Tenten slept the sleep of the righteous after she had only returned from an outside mission. Ino helped Hinata give birth.

Temari would surely have liked to be with him, but she had kept her eyes open long enough to notice that Hinata had started to go into labour. Karui was currently in Kumogakure as she wanted to spend time with her parents before the child prevented her from travelling.

"It takes a really long time to give birth," said Choji, who looked at the clock on the wall opposite.

Shikamaru looked at him tiredly. Through the numerous books that Temari had brought in, he knew far too well about what happened during childbirth. He never used to have trouble falling asleep. Now the overly plastic descriptions kept him awake next to all the other things concerning the child. Sometimes he didn't want to be able to process all the information so quickly. In order not to worry Choji, he just nodded and said nothing. Shikamaru was about to close his eyes when Naruto slipped into the waiting room.

"I am father," he announced and slumped into the nearest chair.

He was not allowed to stay there long, however, as Kiba pulled him into a strong hug and patted him on the back.

"How is Hinata?" asked Shino.

"She is exhausted and sent me to you."

Finally Kiba let go of him again and Shikamaru pulled him into his arms next.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Sai wanted to know when he gave Naruto a genuine smile.

"A boy. His name is Boruto."

* * *

Temari let out a sigh of relief when they finally reached Suna. She had firmly asserted herself against Shikamaru to travel back to her homeland again. As long as she wasn't stopped by her pregnancy belly, she would take every opportunity to travel home. Travelling through the desert with an infant was not only irresponsible, it was also dangerous.

Shortly before they left, they had greeted Rock Lee's newborn son, who already looked a hell of a lot like his father. Temari was afraid that soon three people were walking through Konoha who raved about the power of youth.

Shikamaru kept glancing at her from the side as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. For herself it was totally strange to react to the heat like that. Her nausea had gotten better as soon as they crossed the first dunes, but the dizziness and sweating were all the stronger. Instead of rushing ahead as usual, she followed Shikamaru, who navigated her through the streets.

They ran up the numerous steps in the Kazekage mansion and Temari just wished to fall to the floor to rub her face on the cool floor tiles. Shikamaru took her hand.

"We'll be there in a moment, then you can sit down."

She shook her head. "As soon as Gaara and Kankuro know that they are going to be uncles, they will go crazy. I have no idea how they will react, but we should be prepared for anything."

"It will be all right," he assured her.

Kankuro lost the ability to speak and Gaara alternately stared at her and then back at Shikamaru. Temari was happy to be sitting now and leaned forward so that the nausea went away again. Shikamaru gently stroked her back.

"So you are really pregnant?" Kankuro asked in a tone she had never heard from him before. As the wave of nausea passed, she looked up. Her brother stood in front of her and looked at her almost tenderly.

"Yeah, or I caught another parasite," she remarked snipily.

"That's not how you talk about my future nephew!"

She grinned.

_How did everyone get the impression that it was a boy?_

Shikamaru behind her made an amused sound.

"It'll be a boy?" Gaara wanted to know.

"That we will know in September," said Shikamaru.

"I'm going to be an uncle," Kankuro mumbled now.

Gaara had apparently decided how he felt about the whole thing. He circled his desk and knelt before her.

"I'm happy for you, Temari."

* * *

Shikamaru woke up when Temari kicked him hard on the shin. He almost jumped up and looked around, confused. Temari glared at him from her blanket.

"What's wrong?"

"Your child won't stop kicking me," she grumbled. "Do something."

He did as he was told and turned to her. Then he put a hand on his wife's stomach.

"Did you hear, little one? Your mum would like to sleep."

Rather than stop teasing his mother, however, the movements probably got stronger. Temari let out an annoyed growl. He really had to hold on to not laughing. Unfortunately, her plan backfired.

"That's just unbelieveable," she exclaimed. "For the first four months, all of my food turned my stomach. And now that I'm slowly feeling good again, your son is doing gymnastics."

"So now it's a boy again?" he observed softly. "Weren't you convinced yesterday that we were going to have a girl?"

"Pah, only a boy can be this troublesome." Now he had to laugh and Temari gave him a playful slap on the shoulder. "Get up, we're going for a walk."

"It's the middle of the night, Tem."

"If I can't sleep, you have to suffer too."

He sighed, but got up and helped Temari to stand.

She had hooked up with him as they walked through the empty streets of Konoha. The village never slept completely, but at three o'clock in the morning they only met a couple of Anbu roaming the village. All alone they found themselves at the gate. Shikamaru thought about how he had always waited here for her to arrive. Those days were finally over. She would only go on missions, but return to him afterwards; come home to him.

They had just nodded to Izumo and Kotetsu, who were on guard as almost always, when Shikamaru noticed two figures approaching the gate. At first he was alarmed because visitors never bode well at night. Then he noticed that one of the people had pink hair. Behind her, Sasuke walked with a watchful eye.

"I can't believe this," said Temari.

Shikamaru knew what she meant. Under Sakura's coat he could see a sling and inside it was an infant.

"Hey you two," Sakura greeted them with a smile. "We didn't expect to meet anyone."

"I didn't expect you to show up here and have a child with you," Shikamaru replied.

Sasuke nodded to them in greeting.

"May I introduce our daughter to you?" She turned the blanket aside and revealed a mop of black hair. "This is Sarada."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I researched I recognized Metal Lee doesn't have a birthday, so I didn't gave him a specific birthday and just a side note. Since Shikamaru and Temari are not that close with Lee I also didn't include the birth of his boy. But I will one day write something for them because Rock Lee deserves better.


	33. Ino-Shika-Cho

Shikamaru didn't know when he had last done a mission with Ino and Choji.

Since he was mostly needed within the village, he actually only left Konohagakure for meetings of the Shinobi Union. Ino was not only busy with the flower shop, but also worked in the Intel Division and completed enough missions herself, that she could fill a whole life with it. Choji was often sent to Kumogakure because there, thanks to Karui, he had established the best diplomatic relations.

So, full of anticipation, he had set out early in the morning to meet his friends.

They had been personally chosen by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire to accompany him to Nami no Kuni. Kakashi was also travelling with them in his position as Hokage.

It was like in another life as they crossed the Great Naruto Bridge , especially if you knew the namesake personally. Choji had Kakashi tell the story again, even if they had heard it very often from Naruto. When the Rokudaime told this story, it did not have as many embellishments as Naruto did. He liked to triple the number of their opponents so that the mission sounded even more dangerous than it already had been.

Konoha was to be present as a direct neighbour when Kiri and Nami signed a contract that ensured the security of the country. Shikamaru was just in the process of mentally making all the preparations so that this mission did not last longer than necessary, as the daimyo had a tendency to drag everything out, when something happened all of the sudden.

In the middle of the street a man jumped out pulling a girl with him and holding a kunai to her neck. He had clearly drawn some paper bombs around his body.

"I'm going to kill you all!" The man announced.

Such incidents were nothing new and, above all, not unusual. Many people were still struggling with the aftermath of the war and saw their chance come when the top ranks of the shinobi villages gathered. Shikamaru had already sent his shadow so that he could capture the man in it. Choji got ready to save the girl.

"Shintenshin no Jutsu!" Ino shouted.

For the first time in years, Shikamaru saw Ino fail with her jutsu. While he was strangling the man with his Kage Kubishibari no Jutsu until he passed out, Kakashi took care of lifting Ino's unconscious body.

Something was wrong with Ino and he had a broad idea what.

* * *

Temari had tried to convince herself that she wasn't like other pregnant women.

Her life had changed so drastically in the last year that she would be able to cope with becoming a mother and she would not be so influenced by what her hormones were whispering to her.

The first setback was given to her when she could no longer work fully as Kunoichi. Not only was she exhausted faster, no, she had more and more difficulties generating and, above all, controlling her chakra. Taijutsu was out of her reach anyway now that her focus was slowly changing.

The nausea and dizziness were almost completely gone and she even regained her appetite. Sometimes she woke up from it in the middle of the night and one time or another she got angry when Shikamaru didn't get her a watermelon right away.

She couldn't quite cope with the number of times she burst into tears at absolutely inappropriate times. Saying goodbye at one meeting for the Chunin exam preparations, because she suddenly became emotional, didn't fit into her concept at all. Omoi could still speak of luck today that he was alive and that only because Shikamaru kept her from pouncing on him with his shadow.

When she started buying clothes and toys for her child and setting up the nursery, things got a little out of hand. Above all, it didn't help that Shikamaru was at least as enthusiastic about preparing everything for their child.

She now often had Hinata and Sakura with their children visiting, because she couldn't get enough of how Sarada's forehead wrinkled as soon as something didn't suit her and Boruto wore the same smile as his father. Temari was so completely absorbed in motherhood that she sometimes frightened herself. She didn't know how to be so happy about such simple things.

Now crying at the sight of a giant stuffed bear that Kankuro was carrying when he and Gaara stopped by for a surprise visit in Konoha, was definitely not part of the plan.

"Hoi, Tem. Well, I've heard that pregnant women don't have their emotions under control, but you don't have to cry right away. " Kankuro grinned clearly amused from under his heavily painted face. "In any case, Kuma-kun is delighted to meet you."

"You're a total idiot, Kankuro," she sniffed. "I can not help it."

"We are happy to see you too," Gaara said gently and pulled her into his arms. "Is everything okay, Temari?"

"Yes," she said, noticing how she got hiccups. "That's that stupid baby that makes me cry all the time."

"Better not have looked for a man who is so emotional," smiled Kankuro.

She hit him on the arm with her fist, which he then rubbed with his face contorted with pain.

* * *

He waited until he was alone with Choji and Ino, who was eating a large chocolate bar, before broadening the subject.

Shikamaru was very sure, after carefully looking at his best friend, that she was pregnant. In the past few months he had seen enough pregnant women for him to see the signs. She looked exhausted and tired, but she seemed to radiate from within. Something he'd seen on Temari before.

He sighed before settling into a chair.

"How long did you want to keep a secret that you were expecting a child, Ino?"

Choji, who was eating chips again, looked from her to Shikamaru with his mouth open. Atypically, he put the bag with his favorite snack to one side.

"Now that you say it, Shikamaru." Choji gave Ino an encouraging smile. “Don't be afraid to tell us about it, Ino. We are happy for you. "

He nodded to him and waited, what Ino would probably reply.

It was not without reason that there was a rule not to send a pregnant Kunoichi on missions. It served the protection of mother and child, as well as the protection of the unit that was sent. The potential of danger was higher and every Shinobi would immediately throw himself in front of his pregnant teammate so that nothing would happen to her.

Ino knew about it. It was her duty to report immediately if she was pregnant. So that they could plan it differently.

"This should be our last mission," she whispered. "For the last few weeks I have mainly worked in the flower shop and have not been assigned to missions outside of Konoha."

She bit her lower lip and Choji pulled her into his arms. He didn't like seeing her cry any more than Shikamaru did.

“And you thought an escort mission wouldn't be that dangerous?” Shikamaru wanted to know. Ino nodded and still tried to fight the tears.

"I couldn't have known that such a madman would try to blow himself up."

She carefully pulled away from Choji.

"When are we going to be uncles?" He asked.

"In December."

Now Shikamaru hugged her too.

He used to think that Ino was one of the most troublesome women he knew. He never thought how glad he would be to know her one day.

They had seen so much together. Laughed and cried, trained and coordinated their clans jutsu, mourned their dead sensei and, after the death of their fathers, took their places as clan leaders.

Now that he sat here with his two closest confidants and they paved the way for a new generation, Shikamaru finally knew what it meant to be an adult.

* * *

Being very pregnant in the summer was not an experience she wanted to repeat. Her legs and feet were so swollen that her shoes neither fitted nor could she put them on because her stomach prevented her from doing so. Amused, Kankuro helped her with this task.

"Are you sure that you will only have one child?" he asked teasingly as he slipped the second shoe over her foot.

"The joke is getting old," said Gaara, who was waiting with Shikamaru at the entrance of the house for her to finish.

They wanted to go to the lake in the Nara forest together and end the last day her brothers were in the village comfortably. 

Temari basically didn't mind, but everything hurt today. Her back hurt from the extra weight. Then sometimes at night she no longer knew how to lie down.

After the initial scepticism, she began to look forward to her child. She couldn't put all fears aside. She knew how incredibly wrong everything could go.

So it helped that Gaara and Kankuro had come over. The piece of home they brought with them made her feel better.

She was already looking forward to the day when she could show her son or daughter the desert. The part of his origins that wasn't in Konoha. The wild winds, the unbelievable expanse of the sandy dunes, the heat during the day, which was replaced by a caressing wind at night. She felt something stir in her stomach.

"Kankuro," she said.

He had just wanted to offer her his hand so that she could get up. Now he stopped and looked at her. She reached for the still outstretched hand and placed it on the small bulge that was forming on her stomach. Kankuro looked at her in awe.

"There's really someone in there," he whispered. "Gaara, come here quickly!"

Gaara looked briefly alarmed, but after Temari gestured to kneel beside her and also grabbed one of his hands, he seemed to understand. His mouth opened in astonishment when he first made contact with her child.

Shikamaru was standing in the doorway, smiling at her.

* * *

"I'm going to have a little brother?" said Mirai for the fourth time in a row and Shikamaru didn't try to talk her out of it.

Everyone was convinced it was going to be a boy and he just accepted it. He would know who was right in September. He still secretly wanted a daughter.

After telling Mirai that Temari was pregnant, she started telling everyone who wanted to know that she was going to be a big sister.

"Come on, let's play, Mirai," said Konohamaru, who was also a guest at Kurenai's today.

“I don't want to play!” she protested. "I want to throw shuriken!"

The two men laughed. In spring, Mirai was going to the ninja academy and was keen to learn not only how to use chakra, but how to use shuriken and kunai properly. She pulled Konohamaru's hand and dragged him into the garden.

Shikamaru sighed when he thought about how quickly she had grown so big. She was now five years old and was the image of Kurenai, but her will clearly came from Asuma. Last year she was more of a baby than the child she was now. Soon he would start training her too. He had promised this to Asuma and he would keep this promise.

His gaze wandered to Kurenai, Yoshino and Temari who were sitting at the dining table and drinking tea. Shikamaru saw his wife - he still hadn't gotten used to it, even though they'd been married for a year - threw her head back as she laughed out loud.

Even today it still sometimes hurts how he had lost her. He was nowhere near resentful and he didn't grumble at Temari, he wasn't the type for that. He almost didn't have any of this. Part of his dream almost didn't come true.

Suddenly she was too far away for him, even if she was just sitting at the other end of the room. He looked briefly into the garden where Mirai threw Shuriken through the air, her face contorted with concentration, then he started moving. Temari seemed surprised when she pulled out of the chair and hugged her, but she said nothing.

She understood and returned his hug with just as much pressure.

* * *

Temari was having a cup of tea with Karui when her friend went into labour. Fortunately, the tea house was near the hospital and she got Karui there immediately before sounding the alarm on everyone else. She let her friend crush her hand and distracted her with stories until Choji arrived out of breath.

She followed Shikamaru outside, stroking her own stomach in the process. Now that August had come, her own birth was all the closer. So far she had always successfully suppressed the fact that her child would soon see the light of day.

Temari was incredibly afraid of giving birth. Even if all of her friends had given birth to their children without any problems, she had to think more and more often that her own mother had died giving birth to Gaara. The circumstances had been different, of course. Shukaku was not sealed in her child. She was much further along in her pregnancy than Karura. Only fear was irrational.

"What are you thinking about?" She had completely faded out her surroundings and now met her husband's worried grimacing.

"About my mother." Temari didn't need to explain what she meant. She had woken up several times in the past few weeks from nightmares of death and blood.

He suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair. "Nothing will happen to you. I promised you that."

He rocked her gently back and forth and it helped.

She knew Shikamaru wasn't making false promises. If he believed that everything was going to be okay, then she could believe it too.

A few hours later, Chocho was born just as the sun was setting.

She was so small and beautiful. She took all doubts from Temari.

Shikamaru was at least as moved as Choji, because he wiped a few tears from his eyes.

* * *

His birthday had been unspectacular, apart from the fact that Temari was in a bad mood and still tried to offer him a great day. Shikamaru couldn't blame her. He himself also suffered because she couldn't sleep and he only had a shoulder to lean on and words of comfort to use.

Temari was brave and kept upright as best she could, even if her child was still a long time coming. The birth should have started five days ago, and Temari's fuse got shorter with each passing day. Only yesterday she threw Arashi out of the kitchen in a high arc and then cried because she treated her cat so unfairly. Arashi didn't seem to blame her when she fed him fish that evening.

To his astonishment, he woke up alone the morning after his birthday. Surprised about it, he walked into the living area, still sleepy, and found Temari sitting on the sofa. At first he thought she was sleeping, but she took a deep breath and let it out again.

"Hey, Tem." He went around the sofa and wanted to greet her with a kiss when he saw her face contorted with pain.

"You are in labour," he remarked dryly.

He was very happy not to be the type to panic. So he let his mind work and knelt down in front of Temari.

"It started around three in the morning," she said weakly. "And the gaps between the contractions are getting shorter."

"You should have woken me up."

"I thought it was a false alarm at first," she said.

Apparently a contraction rolled over her again, because her fingers reached hard into the sofa.

"Do you want to shower and get dressed?"

"I want that damn kid to finally be here," she cursed. "If I had known how painful it is, it would never have occurred to me to bring children into the world."

Shikamaru wisely shut up and let her cuss. He couldn't take the pain away from her. Her best option was to just let this out.

When she started talking about him and his laziness, however, he had to intervene.

"Tem?"

"Yes, crybaby?" she muttered.

"I love you." Temari's expression changed and she put a hand to his face. He didn't need anything more.

"I love you too, even if I just wanted to kill you right now." She squeezed out the air. "You'd better let Ino know. I don't think we're going to her birthday party today."

* * *

She wouldn’t forget the pain and feel like dying rather than pushing again, but when her child’s first scream echoed through the room, it was worth all the effort.

Temari took her son with shaky hands from Sakura, who was crying just like Shikamaru. For the first time in her life she didn't mind being surrounded by a bunch of crybabies, because she couldn't contain herself when Shikamaru kept telling her how much he loved her and she looked into the crumpled face of her child.

Hours later she woke up to the low voice of Shikamaru, who was probably just telling his son a story.

In the glow of the bedside lamp, she could see how he looked at the small bundle with loving eyes and ran his finger over Shikadai's head.

He was standing by the window. Temari was still so exhausted and wanted to sleep, but she couldn't get enough of how happy Shikamaru was. She just couldn't believe her own luck.

Since she was getting thirsty, she wanted to grab the jug, but changed her mind again when a sudden pain hit her. She couldn't quite suppress the cry of pain that came out automatically.

Shikamaru was at her side immediately. He carefully handed Shikadai over to her and filled a mug for her. She accepted it gratefully, as well as the kiss on her forehead.

"How are you ?" he asked in a whisper and pulled the covers from Shikadai's face so she could see it better.

"Exhausted, tired, happy."

Shikamaru sat down next to her on the bed and put an arm around her for support. She loved to lean back and count the little fingers on her child's hands. Her son had clenched their fists and frowned in concentration in his sleep.

"He's going to be a thinker," she said quietly.

"I didn't expect anything else." Shikamaru sounded tired.

"Did you sleep in between?"

"No," he said, and yawned. "I was too busy looking at Shikadai."

"He is perfect."

* * *

When Inojin was born, the first snow fell in Konohagakure and covered the whole village in a layer of powdered sugar.

Shikamaru held the last offspring of the seventeenth Ino-Shika-Cho generation in his arms and looked through the window at the small snowflakes that were slowly falling to the ground. He thought about how far they had come in all the time after the war and how much pain and also beautiful moments they had all gone through.

Briefly his gaze wandered to Temari who was standing with their son next to him and just explaining to him what snow was. It was silly to explain such things to an infant who was not even three months old, but the fact that Temari did it with so much gentleness made his heart beat faster.

She was here by his side. She had taken his name, given up her old life, and given him a child.

When he thought of how they had first met while they were enemies and they were married ten years later, he sometimes thought he was dreaming. He had no words to express how much he loved her, how much she meant to him.

She was worth all of the pain they had suffered because she had fulfilled part of his dream. Now it was time for him to ensure peace in the world.

"What are you thinking about, Shika?" Temari asked, looking at him with her green-blue eyes. The eyes that Shikadai had inherited from her.

He didn't want to stop getting lost in them.

"How lucky I am."

He leaned over and sealed her lips with his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one small chapter left...T_T
> 
> I put the births of the new Ino-Shika-Cho generation in one chapter because I wanted to underline their friendships once more and dedicate one chapter just to all three of them. And of course some happy moments with Kankuro and Gaara. 
> 
> Okay...maybe I'm emotional now, because this story is at its end (and I can say I had tears in my eyes when I translated this chapter)
> 
> And yes I planned to drop the chapter on Inojin's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, INOJIN!
> 
> (Also take care to read the notes at the end of the next chapter. I may have a surprise for you)


	34. Epilogue: Kids' stuff

Kankuro had never been very fond of children.

At least that's what he had believed earlier.

He couldn't deal with their unusual moods or the constant screeching. Worst of all, however, were crying children because he really didn't know what to do with them. Comforting wasn't his thing.

He knew how to make his sister laugh when she felt bad, but a child? That was beyond his means.

That's why he had been very sceptical when Temari had revealed to him a few months after their wedding that she was pregnant. He had just somehow resigned himself to the fact that she had moved to Konoha and married this shadow boy, when she hit him with the next shocking news.

Still, he was happy to be an uncle. It made him kind of proud.

Shikamaru was a good guy, even if he was starting to grow a silly beard. He had more than proven that in recent years. He worked hard so that his family would want for nothing.

Temari was happy and so was his nephew. Because why else would the little one laugh so brightly when his father threw him into the air and caught him again?

His sister stepped out on the porch and stood by the door. Kankuro watched her hand grip the door frame. She didn't seem to like what her husband was doing with her child there.

"Sit with me, Tem," he said softly. "Shikamaru is taking care."

His sister averted her eyes, sighed again, and sat down next to him. He handed her a glass of her homemade lemonade and she gratefully accepted.

She quietly sipped her drink while Shikamaru set Shikadai down on the floor. Immediately he flopped on his bum. Kankuro had to smile when the little one looked completely confused. Now Shikamaru knelt down and grabbed those of his son with his hands.

_What was he up to?_

"What is Shikamaru doing there?" Gaara wanted to know, who had appeared behind them. Kankuro hadn't noticed how the time had passed. His brother had been invited to lunch at Naruto's.

"He helps Shikadai learn to walk," said Temari with a smile.

"Then he is definitely not suitable for it," Kankuro decided and stood up.

Shikamaru had been so focused on his son that he only noticed Kankuro when he dropped into the grass next to him.

"Let me do it, Nara," he said. "That takes a professional."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother-in-law. "You don't want to use your chakra threads, do you?" The scepticism in his voice only spurred on Kankuro.

"Do you want Gaara to do that with his sand?"

"Can't you just use your hands like normal people?" Of course, Nara wouldn't give in so easily.

After all, he had gained enough experience since dating Temari not to give up without a fight. Now that it was about his son, of course, there was even more worry. But if Kankuro had something on his mind, he would get it done.

Shikamaru seemed to see his determination and put his hand on his neck.

"You are welcome to try your luck", Shikamaru sighed. "By the way, if something happens to him, you don't have to be afraid of me, I hope you realize that?"

He nodded slightly with his head in the direction of Temari.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "And now get out off my way."

At the end of the day, Shikadai took his first steps.

Kankuro didn't know much about children, but loving them was easier than he thought.

.

.

.

_The End_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy and sad at the same time. This story means so much to me. It's not only about my favourite ship, but it was so much fun to write. 
> 
> I thank you guys a lot that you accompanied me throughout the story. Every kudo, bookmark, subscription and most of all the comments made me incredible happy. Hope we will read each other in the future.
> 
> If you want to catch up: You can find me on Twitter @SpookyMoth or on tumblr @thespookymoth.
> 
> And I have a little announcement: 
> 
> I will also write ChoujiKarui and InoSai. I have the drafts ready but I don't start uploading until I have prepared a few chapters.  
> First I'm going to drop "Blades and Butterflies" about Chouji and Karui, after that "Plants and Paintings" with Ino and Sai.  
> They all play in the same universe as this story and you will get more information about the nukenin and the things that happened outside of Shikamaru's and Temari's reach. 
> 
> Again thank you all! ❤️


End file.
